Talantov S. V.

Information about the author Sergey V. Talantov – private researcher in the field of Caucasian and Russian weapons of the late XVII – early XX centuries (Moscow, Russia). All of author’s articles Dragoon Office Cavalry Sword – the Golden Weapon of Emperor Alexander III A Dismountable Dagger by Geurk Eliarov from Tiflis On the Dagger belonged to Timothy Jaschik, the Bodyguard Cossack in the Emperor Nikolas II and the Empress Maria Fjodorovna Service French-language Marks of Blade Smiths from Kazi-Kumukh (Dagestan) in the 19th Century Kabardian Craftsmen in the XVIII Century: Production and Decoration of Arms Arms Production in Adjaro-Gurian region in the end of 18th – early 20th Century‎ On blades of daggers and shashkas used by the Terek Cossack Host in the late 19th to early 20th centuries Private orders for kindjal and shashka blades of the Kuban Cossack Host from Zlatoust arms factory in the late 19th…

Chubinsky A. N.

Information about the author Aleksandr N. Chubinsky – research associate of the Kremlin Armory of the Moscow Kremlin Museums, the curator of the collection of firearms and pole weapons (Moscow, Russia). All of author’s articles Saber Blades and Pole Arms with “Rolling Pearls” in the Collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums On the Inventory of Boris Godunov’s Weapon Treasury. The year of 1588 of the Moscow Kremlin Museums The Barrel Department and the Kremlin Armoury. Military Arms Manufacture at the Moscow Velvet Yard in 1700–1707

Schindler O. V.

Information about the author Oleg V. Schindler – the student of the Institute for European, russian and Eurasian Studies and research associate of the Centre for European Studies of Carleton University (Ottawa, Canada). Author of several works on Russian armor of the XVI century. Research interests: medieval armor, warfare in Russia in the XVI century, the history of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, the national historical myths of the Eastern Slavs (Ottawa, Canada). All of author’s articles Plated Chain Mails from Count Sheremetev’s Collection

Saber Blades and Pole Arms with “Rolling Pearls” in the Collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums

Chubinsky A. (2016). Sabel’nye klinki i drevkovoe oruzhie s «zhemchuzhinami» v sobranii muzeev Moskovskogo Kremlja [Saber Blades and Pole Arms with “Rolling Pearls” in the Collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums]. Istoricheskoe oruzhievedenie [Weapons History Journal], № 3, pp. 86 — 101. Chubinsky A. Abstract: The paper is devoted to a group of cold weapons reposited in the Armoury Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin museums. These are saber blades and spear heads that were provided or used to be provided with “rolling pearls” inserted to the fullers, two iron-cut maces, and an axe which because of the audible sound of clattering elements inside, on the author’s opinion, could be corresponded to the weapons with “rolling pearls”. The author states the weapons with “rolling pearls” to have been made in Russia in the first half-first third of the 17th century while the range of their types was as wide as it…

Lucca and crescent sign

Lenz E. (2016). Lucca and crescent sign. Zeitschrift für Historische Waffenkunde. VIII Band. ¾ Heft. Leipzig, 1918. (Russ. ed.: Lukka i znak polumesjaca. Istoricheskoe oruzhievedenie [Weapons History Journal], № 3, pp. 113 — 121. Lenz E.   Download article in Russian

Plated Chain Mails from Count Sheremetev’s Collection

Schindler O. (2016). Kol’chato-plastinchatye dospehi iz kollekcii Sheremeteva [Plated Chain Mails from Count Sheremetev’s Collection]. Istoricheskoe oruzhievedenie [Weapons History Journal], № 3, pp. 102 — 112. Schindler O. Abstract: Plated chain mail is an armour made of metal plates connected with separate rings and ring chains. This type of armour often fitted with mail sleeves and laps was widespread in Rus in the 16th-17th centuris. The specificity of its construction permitted more or less effective combination of the mail flexibility and the hardness of coat-of-plates. Today about two hundred samples of the armour type of both Russian and foreign (oriental) origin are reposited in the Russian arms and armour storages. The paper is devoted to five plated chain mails from the private collection of count Sheremetev. These pieces are a perfect example of the armour used in the times of Moscow Rus. Today they are not at display and kept out…

Dragoon Office Cavalry Sword – the Golden Weapon of Emperor Alexander III

Talantov S. (2016). Oficerskaja dragunskaja shashka, Zolotoe oruzhie Imperatora Aleksandra III [Dragoon Office Cavalry Sword – the Golden Weapon of Emperor Alexander III]. Istoricheskoe oruzhievedenie [Weapons History Journal], № 3, pp. 76 — 85. Talantov S. Abstract: The article tells the story of a cavalry sword, presented by the officers of the 13th Life Grenaderial Erivan regiment to Alexander III who was its most august colonel in chief. The weapon was presented to the Emperor on his visit to Caucasus. This is the cavalry sword mounted with the guard of the dragoon office cavalry sword of the 1881 pattern. Its blade demonstrating an unspecified for cavalry swords type was forged earlier and according to the available sources used to belong to the family of Mengrelian ruling princes of Dadiani. The scabbard hasn’t preserved. After the revolution of 1917 the cavalry sword was lost and only several years ago the author…

Scientific Legacy by Eduard von Lenz

Samgin S. (2016). Nauchnoe nasledie Jeduarda Jeduardovicha Lenca [Scientific Legacy by Eduard von Lenz]. Istoricheskoe oruzhievedenie [Weapons History Journal], № 3, pp. 63 — 75. Samgin S. Abstract: Eduard von Lenz is one of the outstanding weapon historians who lived in Russia at the end of the 19th – the beginning of the 20th century. He was interested in a good variety of themes in the field of the weapon studying, starting from the systematization and description of the Russian collections of weapons to the analysis of arms and armour found during archaeological excavations. He studied the weapon manufacturing centers as well and popularized the weaponology in general. Today most of his papers are unknown even for the specialists. The most important period of Lenz’s creative life was the time from 1899 to 1919 when he served as the curator of the imperial collection of arms at the Hermitage. This collection…

Shashkas of Afghanistan

Miloserdov D. (2016). Afganskaja shashka [Shashkas of Afghanistan]. Istoricheskoe oruzhievedenie [Weapons History Journal], № 3, pp. 48 — 62. Miloserdov D. Abstract: The article is devoted to shashkas that used to be very popular on the territory of present-day Afghanistan. The article presents the analysis of the primary sources containing references by different observers to the ways of shsashka usage in the above mentioned region. Using indirect indicators the author substantiates shashkas to have been used in Afghanistan as early as from the beginning of the 19th century and refered to under the name of “shashka” already in the second half of the 19th century. Three main types of shashkas used in Afghaistan were pointed out in the article. The first one is the so called Central Asian shashka which is marked with wide and slightly curved blade. The handle of this shashka was usually made of two horn or bone…

The Weaponry Complex of Indian Warrior-ascetics

Kurochkin A. (2016). Kompleks vooruzhenija indijskih asketov [The Weaponry Complex of Indian Warrior-ascetics]. Istoricheskoe oruzhievedenie [Weapons History Journal], № 3, pp. 27 — 47. Kurochkin A. Abstract: The article deals with analyzing of the edged weaponry complex used by Indian warrior-ascetics. The complex was unified for all the ascetics units and hence it was quite conservative and invariable. For the time-span of the 17-18th century Indian ascetics units could be corresponded to the knightly orders in the medieval Europe. The ascetics controlled the trade of the precious stones, corrals, raw silk, gold and silver. As mercenaries they changed the service of all great and minor rulers of India including the British. The sanniyasis-nagas mercenaries had a reputation of warriors especially effective as assault infantry and close combat troops and notwithstanding their active usage of firearms they were often equipped with solely edged weapons. The yogas were the first ascetic group who…

On the Problem of the “Amur Swords”

Dobriden S. (2016). K probleme amurskih mechej [On the Problem of the “Amur Swords”]. Istoricheskoe oruzhievedenie [Weapons History Journal], № 3, pp. 5 — 26. Dobriden S. Abstract: The author devoted the article to the specific type of edged weapon which could be defined as the “Amur swords” before the special complex investigation is carried on. These are long swords used by the Tungus-Manchurian tribes. On the moment the article was written the author was not aware of any entirely preserved sword either in a museum or a private collection. The most well-preserved item is now in the collection of the American Museum of Natural History. The predominant attitude toward these swords presumes them to be a variant of famous “emus” of the Ainu.  In the article the author substantiates the hypothesis about the local, Tungus-Manchurian, manufacturing of these swords, especially as the Amur peoples and their neighbors practiced the…