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25th April 2019, 01:47 AM | #1 | |
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What is Afghani Ch’hura doing there? Is it also 17-18 century? Ottoman-Hotaki war? And in the next array: short saber with yataghan-ish eared handle and no guard. Proto-shashka? Theodor, do you have any idea whether there are museum provenance records and dates of entry? The similarity of Maghrebi and South Arabian “nimchas” is plainly obvious to the point that some are virtually identical. Who was the donor and who was the recipient? Were there any exchanges of mercenaries? What might have been a role of the Ottoman forays into Southern Arabia starting in the middle of the 16 century? I think it might be a topic of a fascinating research. Last edited by ariel; 25th April 2019 at 02:30 AM. |
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25th April 2019, 04:06 AM | #2 | ||
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25th April 2019, 07:33 AM | #3 |
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thanks very much for this impressive array of photographs and your interesting commentary. This is a place I have always intended to visit , now I realise it is essential that I do !
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25th April 2019, 11:37 AM | #4 | |
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I am not implying anything Central Asian. But a weapon with saber blade, eared handle and no crossguard is a decent description of a shashka-like one. My question ( likely an unanswerable one) is whether we are witnessing a connection or just a parallel development. Something to put in the memory piggy bank;-) As to the sorry physical state of nimcha blades... For a minute or two I thought that when I retire , volunteering going to Valletta and cleaning them might not be a bad idea. I could even donate WD-40, steel wool and Renaissance wax. Last edited by ariel; 25th April 2019 at 12:30 PM. |
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25th April 2019, 12:18 PM | #5 |
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Very impressive grouping! Thanks for these pics. The number of blade variations speaks volumes, even with the later long straight blades missing.
The knuckle guard lacking on some is well noted, as most seem like true "no thrills" fighting swords. I did also note that one example(silver and inlay in a nice close up of the hilt) is decorated in a way very similar to some Moroccan snaphaunce, or afedali. |
25th April 2019, 02:05 PM | #6 |
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This truly is an exciting and phenomenal look into this fascinating array of weaponry on Malta, and Teodor thank you for sharing these pictures!
This is an excellent insight into the weaponry which was seen in the dynamic and colorful history of Malta, the military orders there, the Ottoman corsairs (Barbary pirates) and so much of Meditteranean maritime history. This is also a great look at the variations of the so called 'nimsha' swords we have been discussing presently, and whose origins and development are yet another speculative sword mystery. These distinctly hilted swords and the typical widely flared point blades were apparently oriented toward maritime use as cutlasses and seem to be primarily associated with the Maghreb, and the Ottoman corsairs/pirates. However, the hilt style also influenced various sword types throughout the Arab sphere which of course was vary much aligned with Ottoman in many areas. As noted, it would be hard to classify many of these weapons represented in these collections as from any particular event (such as the siege) or for that matter directly associated with Malta itself or specific provenances. This is because Malta was so 'internationally' connected by trade, the military orders, and its key Meditteranean location so many of these weapons could have arrived there over extended time and from very diverse situations. The Ottoman influences which were so widely diffused not only by the so called Barbary pirates, but Ottoman maritime operations in trade etc. clearly filtered through here over centuries. Malta itself engaged in its own 'privateering' to prey on these Ottoman vessels, which carried many materials from throughout the Ottoman Empire That might account for the presence of what appears to be an Afghan 'choora' dagger, though it is obviously far more recent than many other weapons here .Also the ivory/bone hilted yataghan form (sans ears) with nimsha blade, which reminds me of certain similar hilts from Balkan regions I have seen with the 'oriental' influence favored through Europe in 18th c. . What an incredible museum! and I'd love to see it in person, but this is great, thank you again Teodor!!! |
25th April 2019, 04:23 PM | #7 |
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I also think made for a market to taste. Interesting to see the variations from the have chopper like sabre, to the piercing blade similar to the British blade before the 1908 or there about nickle plated thing used in ww1.
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