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Post by Von K on Aug 23, 2023 17:41:53 GMT -5
Impressive both in design and condition, especially if that is the original scabbard.
The scabbard does look dubious, may have been added as a bell and whistle for the display, if that is the original it's one of the best preserved scabbards I have ever seen for centuries old leather work. I have noticed that in many of the antique swords the wood and leather is gone from the handle, or if it is still there, very badly worn, there are exceptions of course. Is the scabbard leather or lacquered wood? Would be interesting to read a bit of that saber's history!
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Post by kemp on Aug 23, 2023 18:39:37 GMT -5
The scabbard does look dubious, may have been added as a bell and whistle for the display, if that is the original it's one of the best preserved scabbards I have ever seen for centuries old leather work. I have noticed that in many of the antique swords the wood and leather is gone from the handle, or if it is still there, very badly worn, there are exceptions of course. Is the scabbard leather or lacquered wood? Would be interesting to read a bit of that saber's history!
Solid looking base looks like it's wood, thin gauge leather wrap ??, but you are probably on the money with lacquered wood, the gleam on the scabbard would suggest it. |
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Post by hun on Aug 24, 2023 11:00:59 GMT -5
Is the scabbard leather or lacquered wood? Would be interesting to read a bit of that saber's history!
Solid looking base looks like it's wood, thin gauge leather wrap ??, but you are probably on the money with lacquered wood, the gleam on the scabbard would suggest it. I think it looks more like lacquered wood. I'll have to go back to Mongolia one day and check it out, among other things. |
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Post by hun on Aug 24, 2023 11:09:50 GMT -5
Thanks Kemp. I agree, the scabbard looks a little too well preserved. I think the sword is on display at the recently opened Chinggis Khan museum, as you can probably guess at Chinggis Square (formerly Sükhbaatar Square) in Ulaanbaatar. The circular guard could kinda work for a horseman, but I think the grip of the sword should be curved making it easier to keep hold of when cutting/slashing at speed on horseback. Looks like a sleek nicely weighted blade for it's type. I see your point re the grip. Did the Mongols ever use those leather cords looped around the wrist and attached to the grip? Wrist straps or lanyards they are sometimes called. I dunno, the only thing that comes to my mind is the leather straps attached to scabbard. |
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Post by hun on Sept 3, 2023 6:51:54 GMT -5
 Scott Pearce, Northern Wei (386-534): A New Form of Empire in East Asia, Oxford University Press, 2023
Description
Emerging from collapse of the Han empire, the founders of Northern Wei had come south from the grasslands of Inner Asia to conquer the rich farmlands of the Yellow River plains. Northern Wei was, in fact, the first of the so-called "conquest dynasties" complex states seen repeatedly in East Asian history in which Inner Asian peoples ruled parts of the Chinese world.
An innovative contribution to East Asian and Chinese history of the medieval period, Northern Wei (386-534) combines received historical text and archaeological findings to examine the complex interactions between these originally distinct populations, and the way those interactions changed over time. Scott Pearce analyses traditions borrowed and adapted from the long-gone Han dynasty including government and taxation as well as the new cultural elements such as the use of armor for man and horse in the cavalry and the newly-invented stirrup. Further, this book discusses the fundamental change in the dynastic family, as empresses began to play an increasingly important role in the business of government. Though Northern Wei fell in the early sixth century, the nature of the state was thus fundamentally changed, in the Chinese world and East Asia as a whole; it had laid down a foundation from which a century later would emerge the world empire of Tang.Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Genealogies
Maps
Prologue: Defining Our Arenas
Section I: On Sources
Chapter 1: The Emperor Taiwu and the Creation of History
Chapter 2: History Writing and Its Discontents
Section II: Origins
Chapter 3: Growth from out Decay
Chapter 4: Myths of Origin
Section III: A Dynasty Takes Shape
Chapter 5: The Interloper
Chapter 6: Establishing a State
Section IV: Creating an Empire
Chapter 7: The Way of War
Chapter 8: The World Shegui Entered
Chapter 9: The World Shegui Created
Chapter 10: Troubling Innovation
Section V: Pingcheng as Center of a World
Chapter 11: The Wei Army
Chapter 12: The Wolf Lord
Chapter 13: Hunting and Gathering in the Land of Dai
Section VI: End Games
Chapter 14: A Transitional Age
Chapter 15: The Two Buddhas
Chapter 16: To Luoyang
Chapter 17: Downfall of the Theater State
Summing Up; Looking Ahead
Bibliography
Glossary-Index416 Pages 7 b&w images/maps 235x156mm ISBN: 9780197600399 |
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Post by hun on Sept 11, 2023 13:12:01 GMT -5
Here's a couple more from the Siberian band Otyken:
KHAN BLUES
PHENOMENON
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Post by hun on Sept 17, 2023 13:31:39 GMT -5
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Post by kemp on Sept 25, 2023 18:26:03 GMT -5
Biography of John Hunyadi: Hungary's Crusader (1407-1456)
The politics and shifting borders of late medieval central Europe can be convoluted at times, but it helps with guiding maps.
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Post by kemp on Sept 25, 2023 18:43:09 GMT -5
The History of the Ottoman Empire (All Parts) - 1299 - 1922
The Ottoman Empire was one of the most impressive empires of history, lasting over 600 years, sometimes controlling vast amounts of territory in three continents, that is, Europe, Asia and Africa. It wasn't just on the military front that the Ottomans had their successes, but they formed effective trading agreements with various powers of their time.
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Post by hun on Sept 28, 2023 10:22:59 GMT -5
Biography of John Hunyadi: Hungary's Crusader (1407-1456) The politics and shifting borders of late medieval central Europe can be convoluted at times, but it helps with guiding maps. Cool, thanks for the videos Kemp. |
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Post by kemp on Sept 29, 2023 3:48:18 GMT -5
The Ottomans were quite accomplished cartographers, their 'Hyrkanian ancestors' would have been the guys to have drawn the Hyborian Age maps. The Piri Reis map was 16th century Ottoman work.  Western/European civilisation considers itself 'socially progressive', but consider that it was the Ottomans that formed the first charity foundations, or at least inherited them from earlier near eastern states, they acted kindly to the peoples they conquered, it was the Ottoman physicians that first used music to treat patients. |
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Post by kemp on Sept 29, 2023 3:55:06 GMT -5
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Post by kemp on Sept 29, 2023 4:14:24 GMT -5
The cafe or coffee culture in so many western cities that like to consider themselves 'trendy' these days, that welcome addiction to coffee, espresso, latte, cappuccino, mocha and all the rest, well, the Ottomans started the whole thing. 'Coffee was a favourite of the nobility and was something that indicated status and wealth. Eventually, Turkish Coffee opened up to the people, coffee houses became more common and open to everyone within society. People would go there to socialize, play games, or hold business meetings. In fact, they became so popular that in 1656, the Ottoman Grand Bizier Köprülü decided to make coffee drinking illegal (perhaps it had something to do with the political talk within the coffee shops among the people). The people, of course, revolted against such laws. They loved their coffee by now! The bans were eventually replaced by taxation Migration Turkish Coffee didn't stay in the Ottoman Empire for very long. By the 1600s, trading coffee became a standard practice. There are traces of Turkish Coffee in areas like Venice, England, and France as early as the 1650s. It's that good!' turkishcoffeebazaar.com/blogs/daily-bazaar/history-of-turkish-coffee |
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Post by hun on Sept 29, 2023 17:27:12 GMT -5
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Post by hun on Sept 29, 2023 17:36:24 GMT -5
The cafe or coffee culture in so many western cities that like to consider themselves 'trendy' these days, that welcome addiction to coffee, espresso, latte, cappuccino, mocha and all the rest, well, the Ottomans started the whole thing. 'Coffee was a favourite of the nobility and was something that indicated status and wealth. Eventually, Turkish Coffee opened up to the people, coffee houses became more common and open to everyone within society. People would go there to socialize, play games, or hold business meetings. In fact, they became so popular that in 1656, the Ottoman Grand Bizier Köprülü decided to make coffee drinking illegal (perhaps it had something to do with the political talk within the coffee shops among the people). The people, of course, revolted against such laws. They loved their coffee by now! The bans were eventually replaced by taxation Migration Turkish Coffee didn't stay in the Ottoman Empire for very long. By the 1600s, trading coffee became a standard practice. There are traces of Turkish Coffee in areas like Venice, England, and France as early as the 1650s. It's that good!' turkishcoffeebazaar.com/blogs/daily-bazaar/history-of-turkish-coffeeFirst thing every morning before work I gotta have a Turkish coffee and a cigarette. |
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