[Jim McDougall]

An excellent entry!!! I had forgotten about this wonderful book by Mr. Ondaatje, and it is truly a remarkable adventure he undertook in studying Richard Burton's time in India. Here is another perfect example of the importance of references and resources which tend to the events and cultures of specific regions in better understanding the weapons we collect and study.

The heading pesh kabz and choora in Sind is interesting and well placed as these were of course present in these areas, and of course it goes to the diffusion of these arms into and often throughout the Indian subcontinent.
The references to the Talpur's were rulers in Sindh in the 18th century who had not only come from Iranian descent, but the craftsmen there were often Persian as well who were influenced by Ottoman, Chinese and Indian styles as well as Persian.

The book by Ondaatje is fascinating and the reference to Talpurs sent me looking for an article (still not located) , "The Swords of the Shazadas and Talpurs", Peter Hayes, Connoisseur, Nov. 1971, Vol.178, #717. p.177-

I would here note that the term 'pesh kabz' is sometimes a conundrum in exactly when it should be applied and to which of the grouping of knives known in these areas. The pesh kabz (Persian= fore front) is typically a dagger with recurved blade with T spine, however there are examples with straight blade narrowing dramatically to point very much resembling the 'Khyber knife'. It seems as daggers these may often be termed 'choora' as the smaller 'knife or dagger' form of the Khyber, but the term choora itself seems to be a general term for knife in either Urdu or Punjabi, perhaps boith. With the unclear nature of the choora term, it seems in some references even the Khyber itself has been termed choora.

The Afghan dagger 'karud' is often much like a pesh kabz but much heavier and often shaped like a Khyber but the grip is much bolder.

It seems further that the recurved blade in the pesh kabz has become represented throughout India in the 'chilanum' with somewhat anthromorphic hilt as well as the khanjharli with a mushroom shaped pommel as well as the khanjhar with parrothead type hilt.

The karud and Khyber knife seem primarily Afghan, along with the smaller straight blade pesh kabz often termed 'choora'. While Afghan weapons do reflect a degree of Persian influence in thier often less well executed openwork in decoration, it certainly does not seem to me to the extent of Uzbek or Sindhi weapons. Again, in Afghanistan the craftsmanship is often situated in remote tribal regions and reflecting nominally the influences of interloping arms. The craftsmanship in Sind seems more inclined to direct Persian influences in court oriented craftsmen, and the case in Bukhara as well.