Kindjal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kindjal (also written as Kinjhal, alternatively known as the "Circassian dagger") is a very long (30-50cm), double-edged and single-fullered dagger leading to a very sharp tip on the blade. The handle itself is crafted so that it has both a guard and pommel extending out of it as a part of the handle. The name means "dagger" in Turkish languages and in Russian.
The Circassian daggers along with the scabbard (which features a ball point extension on its tip) are usually highly engraved in gold or silver designs and sometimes embedded with certain gems or stones, the handle is usually made out of materials such as wood or ivory. The kindjal blade is similar in shape to that of the Scottish dirk.
The Don Cossacks adopted this type of dagger as their own, recognizing its superior fighting ability and good handling. It was carried in their arsenal alongside shashkas. The Russian poets Alexander Pushkin and Mikhail Lermontov addressed celebrated poems to this weapon.
