On trava torchina, a formidable weapon of Arab cavalry in XVI century
Myakishev V.
On trava torchina, a formidable weapon of Arab cavalry in XVI century
SHLL, Vol. 4. 2021
,
28–36
Abstract
This paper proposes an analysis of a fragment from the handwritten Russian translation of Kronika wszytkiego świata [Universal Chronicle] (1564) by Marcin Bielski, made 30 years after the book’s publication. The analysis focuses on the description of the main Arab cavalry weapon, trava (Rus. ‘grass’) torchina or trava palka, as described in Varthema’s memoirs of his journey to Mekka, reproduced by Bielski. By comparing the Russian translation with a number of other language sources (Bielski’s Chronicles in Polish, earlier Polish and Latin translations of Varthema’s Travels and their Italian original), the paper identifies the plant, whose name as provided by Bielski has been unknown to Russian historical lexicography.
References
- Veys G. Vneshniy byt narodov s drevneyshikh do nashikh vremen. Vol. II. Issue 1. Moscow: Tip. Gracheva i komp. Publ., 1875. 340 p. (In Russ.)
- Gay Pliniy Sekund Starshiy. Estestvoznanie // Drevniy Vostok v antichnoy i rannekhristianskoy traditsii. Sost. G.A. Taronyan. Moscow: Ladomir Publ., 2007. P. 100–140. (In Russ.)
- Kazakova N.A. Zapadnaya Evropa v russkoy pis’mennosti XV–XVI vekov. Leningrad: Nauka Publ., 1980. 280 p. (In Russ.)
- Kicha M. Mekka. Biografiya zagadochnogo goroda. Moscow: Eksmo Publ., 2019. 368 p. (In Russ.)
- Matveev A.S. Voennoe delo arabov // Nikifor II Foka. Strategika. St Petersburg: Aleteyya Publ., 2005. P. 173–271. (In Russ.)
- Muromov I.A. 100 velikikh puteshestvennikov. Moscow: Veche Publ., 2003. 653 p. (In Russ.)
- Pamyatnik iskusstv i vspomogatel’nykh znaniy. Vol. II. St Petersburg: E. Fishera Publ., 1842. 566 p. (In Russ.)
- Povest’ o rozhdenii i pobedakh Aleksandra Velikogo / Per. N. Gorelova. St Petersburg: Azbukaklassika Publ., 2006. 256 p. (In Russ.)
- Ponaryadov V.V. Srednevekovye tekhniki ispol’zovaniya kop’ya v konnom boyu po dannym musul’manskikh voennykh traktatov XIII–XV vv. // Voennaya arkheologiya. Issue 3. Moscow: MediaMir Publ.; Tula: Kulikovo pole Publ., 2013. P. 196–203. (In Russ.)
- Sobolevskiy A.I. Perevodnaya literatura Moskovskoy Rusi XIV–XVII vekov. Bibliograficheskie materialy. St Petersburg: Imp. Akad. Nauk Publ., 1903. 460 p. (In Russ.)
- Feofrast. Issledovanie o rasteniyakh / Per. M.E. Sergeenko. Moscow: Akademii Nauk SSSR Publ., 1951. 589 p. (In Russ.)
- Winter J. Preface, by the translator // The travels of Ludovico di Varthema in Egypt, Syria, Arabia Deserta and Arabia Felix, in Persia, India, and Ethiopia, A.D. 1503 to 1508. London: Printed for the Hakluyt Society, 1863. P. III–XVI.