Opinions on "Kurdish-Armenian" Yatagans?

Jim McDougall · 30th October 2023, 10:39 PM

Thank you as well, and again, I appreciate your explaining your position based on the inscribed decorative motif on these. I agree with what you suggest on them based on the fact that the letters do not form coherent words. As you note, there is the thought of non speakers of Armenian trying to imitate the language 'artistically' or less convincing, illiterate workers.

I think the notion of stylized lettering and placement of letters with omissions may be a plausible explanation, much as the use of acrostic letters found on many Italian blades, sometimes copied in that manner elsewhere. In times and regions where conflicts, strife and intrigues were at hand with ethnic, religious, political issues were constantly present, such methods seemed viable.

There are examples of such 'coded' acrostic 'messages' found on medieval swords that many have seen as 'jibberish' as no intelligible words are there.
In some cases, the use of numbers in the same manner form acrostics or acronyms using the alphabetical equivalent of the numbers.

It seems I have seen many examples of weapons with similar use of decoration, deeply punched markings on swords such as qama, which share similarities to kindjhals which are claimed to be from Azerbijian, many not what I would deem of 'quality'.

There certainly a lot of possibilities here, given the complex dynamics of these regions and the peoples involved, but the history here is fascinating.

30th October 2023, 10:39 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,938	Thank you as well, and again, I appreciate your explaining your position based on the inscribed decorative motif on these. I agree with what you suggest on them based on the fact that the letters do not form coherent words. As you note, there is the thought of non speakers of Armenian trying to imitate the language 'artistically' or less convincing, illiterate workers. I think the notion of stylized lettering and placement of letters with omissions may be a plausible explanation, much as the use of acrostic letters found on many Italian blades, sometimes copied in that manner elsewhere. In times and regions where conflicts, strife and intrigues were at hand with ethnic, religious, political issues were constantly present, such methods seemed viable. There are examples of such 'coded' acrostic 'messages' found on medieval swords that many have seen as 'jibberish' as no intelligible words are there. In some cases, the use of numbers in the same manner form acrostics or acronyms using the alphabetical equivalent of the numbers. It seems I have seen many examples of weapons with similar use of decoration, deeply punched markings on swords such as qama, which share similarities to kindjhals which are claimed to be from Azerbijian, many not what I would deem of 'quality'. There certainly a lot of possibilities here, given the complex dynamics of these regions and the peoples involved, but the history here is fascinating.