Moscow University
Anthropology
Bulletin
Anthropology
Bulletin
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Moscow
The article devoted to the study of the kindjal kama which is kept in the ethnographic collection of the Museum of Anthropology of the Lomonosov Moscow State University. Kindjal has a grooved blade (i.e. scallops along its edges) which is very peculiar for this type of the white weapon. The hilt’s shape is also very unique for the kama. Besides full length human figures and arabographic inscriptions are depicted on it. The author is trying to trace the history of the object before 1939 when kama was transfer for keeping to the Museum of anthropology from the Museum of the Peoples of the USSR and propose the attribution of the kindjal. As a result of the analysis of the kama’s blade, mark, depictions and inscriptions on the hilt the author comes to the conclusion that the kindjal most probably was hammered in Tiflis by a bladesmith from Dagestan, who came there for earnings. After that the blade was brought to Azerbaijan or Iran where a hilt was mounted with the blade. The figure which is depicted on the hilt as we believe might be imam Hussein. Approximately at the same time the blade received the peculiar shape with grooves in order to make it similar to the sword (sabre) Dhu-l-Fakar, legendary weapon of the prophet Muhammad and khalif Ali who is specially venerated among Shiits. We may also suppose that the kama was used during Ashura – climax of the religious Shia fest in the month muharram. In that day some pious Shiits wound themselves with the edged weapon in the memory of the death of imam Hussein.
kindjal kama, Museum of the Peoples of the USSR, Dhu-l-fakar, Ashura fest
Цит.: Krol A.A. Kindjal kama from the collection of the Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology of the MSU // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2017; 1/2017; с. 123-132
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