Khanjali
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Khanjali (Georgian: ხანჯალი) is a double-edged, single-fullered dagger and a secondary weapon used in Georgia and the Caucasus since the ancient times. 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 shape of the weapon is similar to the ancient Greek Xiphos and the Roman Gladius.
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. It is part of the National Georgian wear.
