Τraditional Cretan Knife with olive wood handle 22cm

Traditional handmade Cretan knife with olive wood handle and engraved Cretan folk poem (mantinada) on the blade. Traditional, symbolic gift of everlasting friendship.
Gross Weight: 0,5 Kg

Availability: In stock


€19,90 19.90
Cretan Hands

Description

 Cretan knife with olive wood handle

The Cretan knife, inseparable companion of every Cretan in the old times, accompanied the Cretans wherever they went, either as travelers or as immigrants, but also as soldiers. Cretan knives have a great sentimental value as they are considered symbols of Cretan gallantry and represent the spirit of Crete's resistance against any conqueror.

The Cretan traditional knife with stainless steel blade is offered as a gift to express a promise of everlasting friendship. Adopting this Cretan tradition, you can now offer this special knife as a present with a mantinada of your choice engraved on the blade. Except from the mantinada, you will also find engraved on the wooden knife hilt small patterns of the Minoan dolphins, the Kri-kri (the wild goat of Crete) and the island of Crete.

Below, there is a translation of one of the Cretan folk poems (mantinada) that are engraved on the knives:

 In Crete it's a tradition,

to offer a knife as a gift,

to honour their friends,

and those who are special.

The Cretan knife has a specific manufacturing form. Although the hilt varies, the blade's shape has certain characteristics. It is straight, though the side of the edge, a little before the end of the blade, curves sharply and ends at the point, which has a slight upward gradient. The manufacturing singularity of the Cretan knife's point endows it with great penetrability. The Cretan dagger's hilt is called "manika". Although, its shape varies, there are three dominant types. In the first, the hilt's end resembles a bird's beak, in the second, the shape of the hilt's end is the same as in the 18th and 19th century cutlasses and in the third, which is the classical Cretan type, the hilt's end is V -shaped.

 

The producer

Cretan Hands
"Cretan Hands" is a network of producers created with the main purpose of continuing, spreading and promoting the Cretan tradition and Cretan culture. By selecting and bringing together local businessmen who are engaged in the production of authentic Cretan products, it aims to create a common strong brand that will include certified, handmade and quality Cretan products - carriers of Cretan culture and the long tradition of the island. The "Cretan Hands" network is open to companies that are mainly active in the fields of folk art, handmade items and various handicrafts.

 

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