Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 18th May 2009, 03:05 AM

In "Islamic Arms and Armour of Muslim India" (Dr.S.Haider, Lahore, 1991, p.235) on the zaghnal:
"...it had a pointed lance like head, provided with two cutting edges and arranged at right angle to the shaft. The head resembled a crows beak, hence its name zaghnol."
The Ain i Akbari reference is footnoted as list #30, plate xii, fig. 24.

It would seem that 'cutting edges' would suggest this blade could indeed be used for such an action as hamstringing.

I searched through Pant ("Indian Arms and Armour") who makes no reference to the zaghnal, but does note the 'bhuj'.

The bhuj is the hafted knife with blade in line with the haft, favored in Scinde, and often termed the 'elephant knife' due to the consistant presence of elephant figural motif usually at base of blade.

Note that many of these zaghnals have elephant figure motif on them.

In Egerton, fig, 26, is a line drawing of one of these bhuj, which is referred to as an axe called 'ravensbeak'.

The zaghnal is termed crows beak or crowbill, and apparantly the term zaghnal has something to do with the crow, as suggested by Haider.
Perhaps the questionmarked term 'buckie' shown in Egerton has similar application. The term 'hoolurge' also has a questionmark with it, suggesting Egerton is uncertain of this term as well as the buckie term.

I continued searching for any reference to Rajputs hamstringing, in "Islamic Arms and Armour" (Robert Elgood, 1979) and the chapter on Muslim warfare dealt with strategy and formation, not with incidental practices in battle.

I did find that the Scindi warriors preferred to dismount and fight on foot, and this was common among border tribes between Scinde and Rajputana.
("Sindh Revisited" C. Ondaatje, 1996. p.287).

I sincerely doubt that we will find the Kaemmerer reference outside a very large institution as it is apparantly over 30 volumes, with an exhausting title,
"Arsenal d'Tsarskoe Selo ou Collection d' armes de so Majestie l'Emperor de Toutes les Russies", G.Kaemmerer, St.Petersburg, 1869 !!! Yikes.

I think perhaps the best place to find specifics on Rajputs would be,
"Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan" James Tod, 1820's London and reprinted many times...descriptions of the Rajput clans and history. Wish I had my copy!!!

All I could find today,

Best,
Jim

18th May 2009, 03:05 AM	#15
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,758	In "Islamic Arms and Armour of Muslim India" (Dr.S.Haider, Lahore, 1991, p.235) on the zaghnal: "...it had a pointed lance like head, provided with two cutting edges and arranged at right angle to the shaft. The head resembled a crows beak, hence its name zaghnol." The Ain i Akbari reference is footnoted as list #30, plate xii, fig. 24. It would seem that 'cutting edges' would suggest this blade could indeed be used for such an action as hamstringing. I searched through Pant ("Indian Arms and Armour") who makes no reference to the zaghnal, but does note the 'bhuj'. The bhuj is the hafted knife with blade in line with the haft, favored in Scinde, and often termed the 'elephant knife' due to the consistant presence of elephant figural motif usually at base of blade. Note that many of these zaghnals have elephant figure motif on them. In Egerton, fig, 26, is a line drawing of one of these bhuj, which is referred to as an axe called 'ravensbeak'. The zaghnal is termed crows beak or crowbill, and apparantly the term zaghnal has something to do with the crow, as suggested by Haider. Perhaps the questionmarked term 'buckie' shown in Egerton has similar application. The term 'hoolurge' also has a questionmark with it, suggesting Egerton is uncertain of this term as well as the buckie term. I continued searching for any reference to Rajputs hamstringing, in "Islamic Arms and Armour" (Robert Elgood, 1979) and the chapter on Muslim warfare dealt with strategy and formation, not with incidental practices in battle. I did find that the Scindi warriors preferred to dismount and fight on foot, and this was common among border tribes between Scinde and Rajputana. ("Sindh Revisited" C. Ondaatje, 1996. p.287). I sincerely doubt that we will find the Kaemmerer reference outside a very large institution as it is apparantly over 30 volumes, with an exhausting title, "Arsenal d'Tsarskoe Selo ou Collection d' armes de so Majestie l'Emperor de Toutes les Russies", G.Kaemmerer, St.Petersburg, 1869 !!! Yikes. I think perhaps the best place to find specifics on Rajputs would be, "Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan" James Tod, 1820's London and reprinted many times...descriptions of the Rajput clans and history. Wish I had my copy!!! All I could find today, Best, Jim