Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ian · 18th March 2023, 07:06 AM

rumpel9,

You have touched on a very big topic and Nihl has discussed the complexities and difficulties of trying to generalize classifications across the Asian sub-continent. There are so many cultural variants, language differences, and individual geographical variations, that it is impossible to arrive at a comprehensive classification system.

We have varying degrees of scholarship in English to help those who do not speak the languages of the sub-continent. The books of Ellgood, Rawson, and Pant come to mind immediately, and there are others. Some have tried to do what you are attempting, to provide descriptions and classifications for major Indian weapons, and have mostly come up well short of the mark. It's just a very hard task and, with all respect, one that needs to be done based on extensive experience within the respective cultures, and an understanding of the complicated history of weapons, in the sub-continent. Those qualities are unlikely to be found in one person. Most likely, it will need a team of dedicated individuals to achieve the goal.

As collectors, we want to have a name for everything so we can classify and catalogue what we have. This is perfectly understandable. However, the longer I do this, the more I see of the "naming game" and the less convinced I become of its usefulness. I'm quite content with a descriptive classification, such as "Khanda with tulwar-style hilt, probably 18th-19th C, Sikh." To me that's an honest appraisal that says 90% about the sword and avoids too much speculation.

18th March 2023, 07:06 AM	#29
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,031	rumpel9, You have touched on a very big topic and Nihl has discussed the complexities and difficulties of trying to generalize classifications across the Asian sub-continent. There are so many cultural variants, language differences, and individual geographical variations, that it is impossible to arrive at a comprehensive classification system. We have varying degrees of scholarship in English to help those who do not speak the languages of the sub-continent. The books of Ellgood, Rawson, and Pant come to mind immediately, and there are others. Some have tried to do what you are attempting, to provide descriptions and classifications for major Indian weapons, and have mostly come up well short of the mark. It's just a very hard task and, with all respect, one that needs to be done based on extensive experience within the respective cultures, and an understanding of the complicated history of weapons, in the sub-continent. Those qualities are unlikely to be found in one person. Most likely, it will need a team of dedicated individuals to achieve the goal. As collectors, we want to have a name for everything so we can classify and catalogue what we have. This is perfectly understandable. However, the longer I do this, the more I see of the "naming game" and the less convinced I become of its usefulness. I'm quite content with a descriptive classification, such as "Khanda with tulwar-style hilt, probably 18th-19th C, Sikh." To me that's an honest appraisal that says 90% about the sword and avoids too much speculation.