Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jens Nordlunde · 21st May 2019, 03:23 PM

The katar could have been made for a child or a young man.
In India many boys at the age of seven or eight had replicas of the grown ups weapons, and was trained in using them.
I have a number of katars and most have cross bars of 7.5 cm, a few of 8 cm, and one or two of 6 cm - see the attached.
When it comes to how tall the average Indian was, it is mentioned in an article in Sultans of the South. Arts of India's Deccan Courts, 1323-1687. Fortifications and Gunpowder in the Deccan, 1368-1687 by Klaus Roetzer. Here the author gives the average hight to 1.7 meter.
It must also be remembered, that many Indians have a finer bone building that most Europeans.
Most tulwar hilts and katars are too narrow for an European, but would fit an Indian hand. When it comes to the tulwar hilt, it must also be remembered, that the way they used the sword, it was important that the grip was very tight.
Overall length 43 cm, blade 24 cm.

21st May 2019, 03:23 PM	#7
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,713	The katar could have been made for a child or a young man. In India many boys at the age of seven or eight had replicas of the grown ups weapons, and was trained in using them. I have a number of katars and most have cross bars of 7.5 cm, a few of 8 cm, and one or two of 6 cm - see the attached. When it comes to how tall the average Indian was, it is mentioned in an article in Sultans of the South. Arts of India's Deccan Courts, 1323-1687. Fortifications and Gunpowder in the Deccan, 1368-1687 by Klaus Roetzer. Here the author gives the average hight to 1.7 meter. It must also be remembered, that many Indians have a finer bone building that most Europeans. Most tulwar hilts and katars are too narrow for an European, but would fit an Indian hand. When it comes to the tulwar hilt, it must also be remembered, that the way they used the sword, it was important that the grip was very tight. Overall length 43 cm, blade 24 cm. Attached Images Last edited by Jens Nordlunde; 22nd May 2019 at 10:05 AM.