Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 27th May 2023, 02:04 PM

John Powell was probably one of the most tenacious scholars on Nepalese weapons ever, particularly the kukri. It is interesting seeing these topics brought up again, and reminds me of discussions of nearly twenty years ago regarding these very subjects and John's views on them.

As with most ethnographic weapons there are no truly easy answers to most of these conundrums as there are so many variables. It is interesting to see this Oriental Arms listing showing this as an Indian fighting sword, which is of course not entirely the case.

However it is important to note that while every edged weapon may not have been made as a fighting weapon, ANY weapon may be used for fighting or defense as called upon. It is well known that tools and weapons have often shared uses, and that even ceremonial or dress weapons can be used as a weapon of opportunity if need be.

I would note here regarding the kukri and kora as Nepalese or Indian in pointing out that neither of these is entirely of Nepalese origin and the forms migrated north from Southern Indian early weapon forms, which in turn had been influenced by early Greek weapons such as the kopis.

What has been shown in the discussion here is that the familiar Indo-Persian hilt (tulwar) which is of course distinctly Indian, and typically from the northern regions, did find representation in other contexts.
Nepal and Bengal were not formally separate entities in the 19th century, just as the Northwest Frontier of India and what is now Afghanistan were not, the entire area was simply 'India'.

Weapon forms do not have geographic boundaries, as observed by astute arms writers.

Weapon hilts might often be interchanged on incongruent blade forms for any number of reasons mostly of course for preferences of the person doing so, or the purposeful creation of anomalies for creative interests, one of the inherent characters of Indian arms makers. These of course were notably part of the bazaars that were present during the durbars in northern India inspired by those in Delhi.

In summary, sorting all these things out with these Indian edged weapon anomalies is not likely to have 'one size fits all' answers, and each weapon must be analyzed on its own merits.

27th May 2023, 02:04 PM	#11
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,758	John Powell was probably one of the most tenacious scholars on Nepalese weapons ever, particularly the kukri. It is interesting seeing these topics brought up again, and reminds me of discussions of nearly twenty years ago regarding these very subjects and John's views on them. As with most ethnographic weapons there are no truly easy answers to most of these conundrums as there are so many variables. It is interesting to see this Oriental Arms listing showing this as an Indian fighting sword, which is of course not entirely the case. However it is important to note that while every edged weapon may not have been made as a fighting weapon, ANY weapon may be used for fighting or defense as called upon. It is well known that tools and weapons have often shared uses, and that even ceremonial or dress weapons can be used as a weapon of opportunity if need be. I would note here regarding the kukri and kora as Nepalese or Indian in pointing out that neither of these is entirely of Nepalese origin and the forms migrated north from Southern Indian early weapon forms, which in turn had been influenced by early Greek weapons such as the kopis. What has been shown in the discussion here is that the familiar Indo-Persian hilt (tulwar) which is of course distinctly Indian, and typically from the northern regions, did find representation in other contexts. Nepal and Bengal were not formally separate entities in the 19th century, just as the Northwest Frontier of India and what is now Afghanistan were not, the entire area was simply 'India'. Weapon forms do not have geographic boundaries, as observed by astute arms writers. Weapon hilts might often be interchanged on incongruent blade forms for any number of reasons mostly of course for preferences of the person doing so, or the purposeful creation of anomalies for creative interests, one of the inherent characters of Indian arms makers. These of course were notably part of the bazaars that were present during the durbars in northern India inspired by those in Delhi. In summary, sorting all these things out with these Indian edged weapon anomalies is not likely to have 'one size fits all' answers, and each weapon must be analyzed on its own merits.