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Origine: Cultures and Nomadic Peoples of the Eurasian Steppe... |
The most formidable
warriors of Antiquity and Middle Ages came from the eurasian steppe.
They were feared by the most powerful empires and established their own on a vast scale.
They keep fascinating generation after generation of people. Let us discover the Scythians,
Sarmatians, Huns, Magyars/Hungarians, Russians, Mongols, Timourids and Turks/Ottomans.
But why focusing so much on the warriors at Samarkandia?
First because they were, above all in nomadic cultures,
the most mobile and terrific "embassadors": enough to leave a deep
imprint in the collective memory and make them the main symbol of their
culture. Then because here at Samarkandia, we offer you a range of
genuine crafted reproductions, based on historical heritage
and excavations material, mainly composed of military equipment.
You will then understand why it sounded logical to make it the starting point
of our project...even if we are working to rapidly propose some other productions
which made the fame of the oriental craftmen: jewelry, fabrics and popular art items...
As a matter of fact, not only the nomadic warriors used these weapons.
Sedentary peoples often had to fight the steppe horsemen.
Frequently, they hired them as auxiliaries or mercenary elite troop.
As a consequence, they could easily check the efficiency of their equipment.
So the traditional weapons of the nomads found their ways into the hands of
the settled warriors through booting, exchange, trade and copying.
Greeks, Persians, Romans, Byzantines and the men-at-arms and knights of medieval
Europe (mainly Central and Oriental) are the best examples of this phenomenon.
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Approach: traditional and quality Crafting, Reproductions... |
Our key points are quality and historical respect. The crafting industry and
the craftmen are the living heart of our approach. We have a triple objective:
- keep antic techniques and traditions alive,
- help craftmen make a living of their art and passion,
- make our quality products available to the majority
The methodology is always the same:
- archeological and historical research,
- beta-version making and possible improvement tests,
- validation by other specialists
Below, some relevant examples...
The traditional bow (or reflex bow, or composite bow) is undoubtedly the
most typical weapon of the steppe nomads. Designed several centuries BC in Central
Asia, it subsequently underwent many improvements but kept its basic features. It
is made from several materials (horn, wood, sinew, horn or bone stiffeners assembled
with fishglue). The main parts are the handle, the arms and the syhias (sometimes
reinforced with horn or bone stiffeners). Extremely powerful, it is much faster
than its European counterparts. The war bows are said to have had a draw weight of 50
to 80 pounds (#). Which is far less than what is often imagined, but clearly enough
to pierce armors and shields and allow a good rate of fire (a key point on the battlefield).
The sabre is also identified as a characteristic Eurasian nomads weapon.
It first appears in the steppe as a straight single edged sword (proto-sabre).
As for the curved sword, it was not until the 8th or 9th century AD that its use
spread and it had to compete with other weapons such as the broadsword (double edged)
and the single edged straight sword (the latt copied from the first proto-sabre). By
thickening the back of the blade, the swordsmiths of the steppe made it stronger
albeit with a smaller width. Its curved shape allowed the blade to both chop and
slice.
Iaroslav LEBEDYNSKY "Les Sarmates" ed. errance
Iron sword of Bougoul'tchan (Russia); the long sword is
rarer during the sarmatian middle phase than during the
previous and following ones, but we currently know some
exemplaries. This one has the same ring-pommel and short
bar guard than the usual short sword.
Replica based on the original model above
Iaroslav LEBEDYNSKY "Les Sarmates" ed. errance
Iaroslav LEBEDYNSKY "Armes et guerriers barbares" ed. errance
Sword with losangic plate guard. Bataszék (Hungary),
late 4 th-5 th century AD.
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Objective: the new Silk Road... |
For more than 2000 years, caravans charged with the most precious goods
crossed the Taklamakan, the Central Asia Steppes, the passes of the Pamir,
the highlands of Anatolia, the Bosphorus... As many names which have a strong
impact on the imagination, and call for legends. But the Silk Road
was not only a trading network, it was also a fantastic communication and exchange
channel for information, myths, cultures, religions, etc...without almost any interruption
until today.
But today more than ever, this more than 2000 years
old network is vanishing. At Samarkandia, we want
to bring our small contribution and weave some threads of the tapestry,
in a modest way, as an alternative to standardisation and uniformisation.
And it is another big network, the Internet, that can, at least partially, help us:
by bringing a modern dimension to the concept, by getting rid of physical
borders, by making it possible on the long term. We should not see any contradiction
between Tradition and Modernity, but at the opposite, an adaptation, a symbiosis,
for the mutual benefit of everybody. It is a nice, long and ambitious road, and
we have just set off... |
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