The Džeferdar was an ornate, smoothbore musket that was popular in the Western Balkans during the Ottoman rule.
Etymology
The name "Džeferdar" is thought to derive from the Arabic word "jawhara" (جوهرة), meaning "jewel," a direct reference to its lavish mother-of-pearl decoration.
Design and features The most defining characteristic of the Džeferdar is its stock, which was covered in mother of pearl inlay. It used the typical Balkan style Miquelet lock found on the Tançica & Rašak. The barrel is usually decorated with silver or coral.
Origin and usage The Džeferdar was primarily produced in the Boka Kotorska region of Montenegro. Herceg Novi, Kotor, and Risan being the major centers of manufacture. It was said that a Džeferdar cost 1000 Groschen, 30 Ducats, or 3,900 Akçe. The Džeferdar had many symbolic uses in weddings, folk songs, & blood feuds.
Variants: The Čibuklija
An identical gun in form and lock mechanism, but lacking the signature mother of pearl inlay, was produced in Bosnian workshops, notably in Sarajevo and Fojnica. These weapons were known by the name Čibuklija. The stocks of the Čibuklija were sometimes covered in sheets of engraved brass or left as plain wood. The name "Cibuklija" is derived from its visual resemblance to the long stem of a Turkish tobacco pipe, known as a "çıbuk" or "çubuk".
Gallery
See also Shishane, another popular firearm used in the Ottoman Empire Tançica, long barreled Albanian musket Kariofili, musket of the Greek revolution Boyliya, Bulgarian musket with unique lock Kubur, Ottoman handgun Khirimi, Caucasian miquelet musket Moukahla, a North African snaphaunce musket Jezail, Afghan rifle popularized in media
References
Astvatsaturyan, E.G. Турецкое Оружие 2002 Elgood, Robert. Firearms of the Islamic World in the Tareg Rajab Museum, Kuwait 1995 Elgood, Robert. The Arms of Greece and her Balkan Neighbours in the Ottoman Period 2009