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Originally Posted by ariel
What is left, of course, is providing evidence that "their origin and old main purpose" was specifically tiger hunting:-)
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Just consider one more opinion. I do not preach here, but just point to circumstances little known in the circle of dealers and collectors.
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Images of brave Indian personalities despatching tigers with katars are ( IMHO) likely to be of mainly glorifying or "advertising" value: bravery of a person fighting supremely dangerous animal one-on-one in close quarters.
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Bravo! Sometimes to understand something someone just need to retell it in your own words.
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My point is that many weapons had " honorific" monikers.
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Bingo!
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In general, weapons were developed initially for mixed purpose : both as man-fighting and utilitarian ( hunting included). Subsequently, these functions were largely separated by militarily-developed societies, with only a minority retaining their utilitarian/martial status in less organised societies ( machete in peaceful times, weapon during the war). Purely utilitarian implements are easily recognizable: fishing spear, whaling harpoon, eel catcher, pellet bow etc.
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This is a speculative abstract model.