Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

B.I · 22nd December 2006, 07:03 PM

Hi Jens,
I agree that this early form of sword was used throughout Indian and Nepal, and is apparant in sculpture in both medieaval, and post medieaval times. The scrulpture you mention shows this very clearly. However, I think that the langet on all od these swords held the blades via rivets. The 'bands' across the langet are decorative, and no doubt hold some purpose, possibly symbolic. If you look at Rawson (Danish versian) plate 13 and 14, these bands are clearly shown. Plate 13 has the band at the bottom of the langet, but the blade is riveted on. Rawson calls this sword 18thC, but I believe this to date at least 200 years earlier (it is called 'ancient Nepalese by Egerton). This is indeed an early Nepalese sword, and I know of one other example of this extremely rare sword in a private collection.
Fig 14 is a more classically shaped 'patissa', with a band around the langet. this is more than likely loose, and so does not represent a strengthening use. There is another example in the British Museum, shown in Elgoods Hindu Arms, and another in that same private colection mentioned earlier. The band in the example in the private collection is silver and loose, and looks of the same construction as the BM and Copenhagen pieces, hence the assumptions.

22nd December 2006, 07:03 PM	#15
B.I Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 485	Hi Jens, I agree that this early form of sword was used throughout Indian and Nepal, and is apparant in sculpture in both medieaval, and post medieaval times. The scrulpture you mention shows this very clearly. However, I think that the langet on all od these swords held the blades via rivets. The 'bands' across the langet are decorative, and no doubt hold some purpose, possibly symbolic. If you look at Rawson (Danish versian) plate 13 and 14, these bands are clearly shown. Plate 13 has the band at the bottom of the langet, but the blade is riveted on. Rawson calls this sword 18thC, but I believe this to date at least 200 years earlier (it is called 'ancient Nepalese by Egerton). This is indeed an early Nepalese sword, and I know of one other example of this extremely rare sword in a private collection. Fig 14 is a more classically shaped 'patissa', with a band around the langet. this is more than likely loose, and so does not represent a strengthening use. There is another example in the British Museum, shown in Elgoods Hindu Arms, and another in that same private colection mentioned earlier. The band in the example in the private collection is silver and loose, and looks of the same construction as the BM and Copenhagen pieces, hence the assumptions.