Product Details
AN INTERESTING CARVED CRETIAN OLIVE-WOOD FIGHTING STICK or 'SWORD OF THE POOR',
circa 1840-50, 37in. overall with carved curving 'blade', the finger-grooved grip section carved with geometric designs and Christian Byzantine iconography, offset drum pommel, some age related chips and repairs, the tip with later sheet iron reinforcement
Other Notes: During the Ottoman Empire, the Greeks on Crete were banned from owning weapons. Christians were even forbidden knives, and with the Turks patrolling the waters around Crete, it was near impossible for the mostly Greek population to obtain any sort of weapon. Any iron that was available was monopolised by the Muslims. Poverty was rife and life was extremely harsh for the islanders, making an ideal catalyst for revolt and rebellion. Ever since Roman times the Greek islanders had produced a wooden staff known as a 'hurhuda', basically a long stick with a heavy ball-shaped end, but before the rebellion against the Turks in 1821, they also started producing these specialised sword-clubs, basically re-creating the wooden swords popularised during the Byzantine era. Each male villager of age would make his own and decorate it to his taste. With iron being practically impossible to obtain, some of these sword clubs were sharpened along the edges and literally used as a sword, others simply just to bludgeon. When rebellion finally came, the people rose up armed only with these simple wood weapons and with great bravery used them to overcome the Turks and then used the looted weapons of the Turks against them, continuing the fight.
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Estimate £100-200