qame as a  short sword with a wide, straight blade and states that qame is Turkish in origin.  Unfortunately, neither Dehkhoda nor Pur Davood explain the shape of these two weapons.

1) Qame with etched inscriptions from the holy Qur’an

The first qame has a very solid blade with multiple fullers.  Examples of antique qames with multiple fullers can also be seen in the Military Museum Tehran (see Moshtagh Khorasani, 2006:575, cat. 198).  The blade has a strengthened tip.  In spite of the fact that the blade has a strong blade of weighing 771 grams, it handles very well and has very good balance and harmonics.  It is heavier and longer when compared to many antique examples that are kept in the Military Museums of Iran and selected, private collections.  The following table shows the statistical dimensions of the qame:

Qame with etched inscriptions made by Ostad Farajian as mentioned above

Total Length: 63 cm

Width of the blade at the forte: 5 cm

Width of the blade in the middle: 5 cm

Weight without scabbard: 771 grams

Weight with scabbard: 1185 cm

The corners of the blade, close to the edge on both sides, are etched with inscriptions from the holy Qur’an.  On the obverse side, the inscriptions are the ayats 1-3 from the sura al-Nasr (Help) (see Al-Qur’an, 1993:557):

Bismi Allah alrrahman alrraheem 1. Itha jaa nasru Allahi waalfath, 2. Waraayata alnnasa yadkhuloona fee deni Allahi afwaja, 3. Fasabbih bihamdi rabbika waistaghfirhu innahu kana tawaaba

In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful. 1. WHEN THE HELP of God arrives and victory, 2. And you see men enter God’s discipline horde on horde, 3. Then glorify your Lord and seek His forgiveness.  Verily He is relenting.

Further, there are inscriptions ayat 1-3 from the sura al-Asr (Time and Age) (see Al-Qur’an, 1993:550) on the obverse side:

Bismi Allah alrrahman alrraheem

1. WaalAAasr, 2. Inna alinsana lafee khusr, 3. Illa allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalhati watawasaw biahaqqi watawasaw bialssabr

In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful.

1. TIME AND AGE are witness, 2. Man is certainly in loss, 3. Except those who believe, and do good and enjoin truth on one another, and enjoin one another to bear with fortitude (the trials that befall).

Bismi Allah alrrahman alrraheem.  1. Qul aAAoothu birabbi alnnas, 2. Mailiki alnnas, 3. Ilahi alnnas, 4. Min sharri alwaswasi alkhannas, 5. Allathee yuwaswisu fee sudoori alnnas, 6. Mina aljinnati waalnnas

In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful.  SAY: “I SEEK refuge with the Lord of men, 2. the King of men, 3. The God of men, 4. From the evil of him who breathes temptations into the minds of men, 5. Who suggests evil thoughts to the hearts of men – 6. From among the jinns and men.

There are also inscriptions ayats 1-5 from the sura al-Falaq  (see Al-Qur’an, 1993:560):

Bismi Allah alrrahman alrraheem.  1. Qul aAAoothu birabbi alfala, 2. Min sharri ma khalaq, 3. Wamin sharri ghasiqin itha waqab, 4. Wamin sharri alnnaffathati fee alAAugad, 5. Wamin sharri hasidin itha hasad

In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful.  SAY: “I SEEK refuge with the Lord of rising day, 2. From the evil of what He has created, 3. And the evil of evening darkness when it overspreads, 4. From the evil of sorceresses who blow the incantations on knots, 5. From the evil of the envier when he envies.

Close to the handle, there are inscriptions revealing the maker’s name, Hossein Farajian, and Yadollahi fogho Aydahum (There is no hand above God’s hand).  Following the tradition, the handle is made of two horn scales riveted to the tang.  The wooden scabbard is covered with leather.  The scabbard fittings are made of brass.

Figure 1: Qame made by Ostad Haj Hossein Farajian with etched inscriptions from the Qur’an, the obverse side.

Figure 2: Same qame from the reverse side with etched inscriptions from the Qur’an.

Figure 3: A close-up of the blade.

2) Qame with gold-inlaid inscriptions

The second qame made by Ostad Haj Hossein Farajian has also a steel blade.  There are gold-inlaid inscriptions on the forte of the blade on both sides.  Close to the tip, there is further gold inlaying.  The blade is multi-fullered.  The wooden scabbard is covered in leather, and the scabbard fittings are made of brass.  On the obverse side, close to the forte, there is the following gold-inlaid inscription: Amal-e Hossein Farajian Zanjan (The work of Hossein Farajian [from] Zanjan).  On the same side, close to the tip of the blade, there is the following gold-inlaid inscription:  Hag, Hag, Ali, Ali (Justice, Justice, Ali, Ali).  On the reverse side, close to the handle, there is the following gold-inlaid inscription: Yadollahi fogho Aydahum (There is no hand above God’s hand).  Close to the tip on the same side, there is the following gold-inlaid inscription: Enna Fatahna Lakka Fathan Mobina (We have given you a splendent victory).  This is the first ayat of the sura al-Fath (Victory) (see Al-Qur’an, 1993:439).  The following table shows the statistical measurements of this short sword:

Qame with gold-inlaid inscriptions made by Ostad Farajian as mentioned above

Total Length: 70 cm

Width of the blade at the forte: 4.5 cm

Width of the blade in the middle: 4.4 cm

Weight without scabbard: 593 grams

Weight with scabbard: 893 cm

Figure 4: Another qame made by Ostad Haj Hossein Farajian with gold-inlaid inscriptions from the Qur’an, the obverse side.

Figure 5: Same qame from the reverse side with gold-inlaid inscriptions.

Figure 6: A close-up of the blade.

Part II to follow.