[Jim McDougall]

It is great to see this 'katar' stamp resurface, and we did have some great discussion concerning this in 2007, it seems in most cases this deep stamp appeared accompanied by a trisula. I think it will be OK to post the images from that thread Jens so I will add it as shown from a khanda hilted sabre...in it appears to be were rehilted with tulwar blade carrying this stamp.

Regarding the katar stamp. it seems that the Bundi attribution to the blade on this weapon by Stan may be quite well placed. In 2010, in his outstanding article, "The Royal Katars of Bundi" ('South Asian Studies 25), Jens notes that "...the katar has been used on some Bundi coins and stamps.On the coins it was not used as a mintmark, but as an emblem on the obverse side, so the katar must have had a meaning to the ruling family". The distinct use of the this weapon on the coinage suggests that symbolically it is quite possible the same type stamp of the katar may have been used on weapons as an arsenal type stamp. Though not proven, this does seem quite plausible, and both Jens and Nidhin Olikara have shown in several cases where the use of nusimatic devices have been instrumental in identifying markings on weapons.

In the discussions in 2007, I had been researching the possible source of the katar marking and suggested that possibly it may have been associated with the Kattees people of Gujerat from references in Egerton (1880. p.137). The author cites "Translations of Lit. Soc. of Bombay" 1813 and describes the use of the katar symbolically in oaths, contracts and all such matters as legally binding by its mark. My thoughts were that perhaps this mark of the katar when placed upon any important document might be used in weapons as well. In retrospect of course, the subsequent work of Jens in the Bundi references seems far more likely, and I have noted the Kattee reference simply to note that aspect previously covered.