Pronged sideways towards pommel, no guard; typically made from horn, bone or metal (silver)
The yatagan, yataghan or ataghan (from Turkishyatağan),[1] also called varsak,[2] is a type of Ottoman knife or short sabre used from the mid-16th to late 19th century.
The yatagan was extensively used in
Ottoman Turkey
and in areas under immediate Ottoman influence, such as the Balkans and the Caucasus.
Description
The yatagan consists of a single-edged blade with a marked forward curve and a hilt formed of two grip plaques attached through the tang, the end of the hilt being shaped like large ears. The gap between the grips is covered by a metal strap, which is often decorated. The blade varies from 60 centimetres (24 in) to 80 centimetres (31 in) in length and is curved forward (like the Iberian falcata, Illyrian sica or Ancient Greek kopis), sometimes reclining backwards again towards the very end. This blade form is often referred to as being "recurved". While the back of the blade is made by swordsmiths out of softer steel, the sharp edge is made of hard, tempered steel for durability.[citation needed]
The yatagans (also called varsaks,[3] named after the Varsak Turkomans) used by janissaries and other infantry soldiers were smaller and lighter than ordinary swords so as not to hinder them when carried at the waist on the march.