Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Very Interesting Indian sword for discussion

Radu Transylvanicus · 20th February 2005, 10:47 PM

Well, for what is worth my opinion as far as geo-origin my opinion is west-central India: Gujarat, Rajahstan mainly. The sword if not Mughal, is very much inspired by the Mughal armorial products. The one piece metal hilt is much like ones west of Hindoostani borders, an afghano-persian qabzah while the blade remains of Hindu style and facture, a very close relative of the popat hilt (Indian arms and armour vol. II , by Dr. Pant od National Museum in New Delhi, a treasure of a book I received recently from a dear friend ) an Hindu adoption of Persian hilt.
Now the very good news: the swan neck knuckle guards are specific to late 17th, early 18th century west central India from Punjab to Gujarat . Now if thats the case can you imagine what a real treasure this is ?
And Jim, yes, I incline thats the case with ,,ice-bird,, definition (swan-neck is kind of personal definition, not to be confused with any scholar denomination, it just seem to me as the natural name, therefore I used it). Mughal gardens were home to gracefull, exotic large birds with opulent forms and plumage, peacock being absolute king but that was a male symbol, and in order to counterbalance the yin-yang in this sabre the knuckleguard swan (female and smaller in size and importance but nevertheless gracious) vs the pommel tiger/lion ( to put an end to RSWORDS dilema India is home even now but in the past even more to both lions and tigers ) as male symbol, larger in size. What is in red colour is my pure supossition without solid suport.

20th February 2005, 10:47 PM	#12
Radu Transylvanicus Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 2008-2010 Bali, 1998-2008 USA Posts: 271	Well, for what is worth my opinion as far as geo-origin my opinion is west-central India: Gujarat, Rajahstan mainly. The sword if not Mughal, is very much inspired by the Mughal armorial products. The one piece metal hilt is much like ones west of Hindoostani borders, an afghano-persian qabzah while the blade remains of Hindu style and facture, a very close relative of the popat hilt (Indian arms and armour vol. II , by Dr. Pant od National Museum in New Delhi, a treasure of a book I received recently from a dear friend ) an Hindu adoption of Persian hilt. Now the very good news: the swan neck knuckle guards are specific to late 17th, early 18th century west central India from Punjab to Gujarat . Now if thats the case can you imagine what a real treasure this is ? And Jim, yes, I incline thats the case with ,,ice-bird,, definition (swan-neck is kind of personal definition, not to be confused with any scholar denomination, it just seem to me as the natural name, therefore I used it). Mughal gardens were home to gracefull, exotic large birds with opulent forms and plumage, peacock being absolute king but that was a male symbol, and in order to counterbalance the yin-yang in this sabre the knuckleguard swan (female and smaller in size and importance but nevertheless gracious) vs the pommel tiger/lion ( to put an end to RSWORDS dilema India is home even now but in the past even more to both lions and tigers ) as male symbol, larger in size. What is in red colour is my pure supossition without solid suport. Last edited by Radu Transylvanicus; 20th February 2005 at 11:01 PM.