Indo-Persian ? SEA? Pole arm head?

[Jens Nordlunde]

Hi Katana,
In Elgood’s book Hindu Arms and Ritual page 192 you can see pictures of lance/spear heads like the one you show – or almost like it. The socket is of brass and the blade of steel. So it could be south India or maybe Sri Lanka.

[Jim McDougall]

Hi Katana,
Jens is 100% right, this appears to be a spear head from Sri Lanka.
In "Sinhala Weapons & Armour" by P.E.P. Deraniyagala (Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society", Part III, 1942, pp.117-118), similar is shown as a "...kuru Itale or kurukitale (elephant spear)" and apparantly the heads varied from 6" to as much as 48". These are described as having the median ridges raised into cutting edges which converge at the point of the spear. On the examples described there were apparantly straps downward to secure the head to the shaft (as seen on 19th century cavalry lances).
The brass, as Jens has noted also supports the southern India, Ceylon identification.

Your example is likely a ceremonial one from the 19th c. as the features are vestigial and the head lacks the securing straps that would be attached to the shaft. Apparantly the earlier forms actually had the median ridge expanded and sharpened and the downward projecting 'wings' at the base corresponded and were also sharpened.

Beautiful example! and stuff from Sri Lanka seems pretty hard to find these days.

All the best,
Jim

[katana]

Thanks Jens and Jim ,

interesting stuff..and very helpful (as usual).... ...Jim you mentioned the possibility that this could be ceremonial. I'm not so sure..... the blade is no longer 'symmetrical' because of repeated sharpening (more so on one side than the other) . Still reasonably sharp although there is no evidence of being 'honed' recently.
There is a hole in the socket where a 'rivet' or similar was possibly used to attach to the shaft.
The shaft, I presume would have been wood (teak ?) with a minimum diameter of approx. 30mm (1 1/5 ") but more likely was 41 mm (1 7/8") if 'level' with the 'bevelled' end of the socket. That would surely be a substantial 'heavyweight' shaft ?

The 'medial ridge' is 5/8" (15mm) 'thick' at the socket end which tapers (distally ?) to 3/16" (4.5 mm) just millimeters before the point.

Would these dimensions etc. still suggest ceremonial?

Has the 'inverted arrowhead motif' any significance ???

Ah ... one more thing....would 'elephant spear' mean a spear 'used' whilst on 'elephantback' or would it be used by a 'foot' soldier to 'take down' one of these magnificent animals.

[Jim McDougall]

Hi Katana,
If that has been sharpened then you're right, it was probably 'live'. It seemed ceremonial only in the sense that the features had devolved essentially to less dramatic form. Terms expressed as 'elephant sword' 'gun' etc. are always confusing. I cannot imagine trying to kill an elephant with one of these, although the ribbed four blade shape seems much like 'armor piercing' weapons. I'm not sure on the significance of the winglike shape, and perspective on those features we can only speculate. There would probably be some pretty good suggestions found in "Hindu Arms and Ritual", as Jens has mentioned.

Good observation on the shaft size also, and that might support use for anti-elephant warfare. Maybe this was sort of a proto-bazooka? In any case, I think your descriptions probably revise the ceremonial suggestion. I'd like to find out more on the use of these weapons associated with elephants, as well as the ancus, which is a most mysterious implement/weapon.

Best regards,
Jim

[katana]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

I'd like to find out more on the use of these weapons associated with elephants, as well as the ancus, which is a most mysterious implement/weapon.

Best regards,
Jim

You and me ...both.

I'll see what I can 'dig up' and post it here The use of Elephants in ancient warfare is trully facinating....many were trained to use trunk, tusks and feet (probably not an accurate 'scientific' term...but you get the picture )to attack, maim and crush any 'foot' soldiers in their path Many had forms of armour and sometimes the tusks were removed and sword-like blades fitted in their place... . I would imagine, a 'foot' soldier armed with a hefty spear / pole arm would have little chance against a charging 'war' elephant....perhaps they had a tactic..whereby the elephant could be sucessfully attacked ...with less risk

[nKante]

Yes, I have seen examples of blades that were fixed to the elephants tusk. At first glance that is what I thought this was. But the example I saw had a socket that was bigger than the blade. And it swept up, as a natural tusk would. I can only imagine the electricity in the air during an elephant charge. I don't care how big your spear is, it takes a set of brass ones to fight one of those things. One of Hannibals last battles that I read about used trumpets at the last second to confuse and scare the elephants. The front line of foot soldiers were staggered. As the elephants passed in between they were harassed by light armored missle troops (mostly javalins). This tactic worked, but was aided by the fact that the elephants were newly trained. Only a handful, I think 16, of Hannibals elephants returned from the European invassion.

[Jim McDougall]

You're right Katana, this topic of elephant warfare has got my curiosity up! so I've been hittin' the books too. Nice illustrations you posted BTW!
Interesting stuff nKante, and I've heard of elephant swords also, so wanted to see what I could find, as well as how likely was defense against these huge animals.

In 1526, Babur noted, "...the great beasts were very difficult to kill, though they could more easily be driven off", ("Mughal India 1504-1761" D.Nicolle,p.15).

However, in describing battle c.1116 between Seljuqs and Ghaznavids, it is noted that "...the Seljuq troops were able to stampede the elephants into retreat by attacking the leading beast in the only part not completely covered with armour, the vulnerable under belly".
from " The Elephant Armour" by Thom Richardson & Donna Stevens ("Royal Armouries Yearbook" Vol.I 1996, p.101.

Regarding the weaponry attached to the elephant itself, descriptions of them at the Battle of Panipat (1556) says that the trunks were armed with 'spears and knives' (Richardson, op.cit.p.102). Also in the same reference, it is noted
Timur describing the elephants of the Delhi Sultans in 1398, says that sharp poisoned points were fastened firmly to their tusks, and that the Bahmani armies c.1468 attached large scythes to the trunks and tusks of their elephants. In 1535, the Vijayanagar armies fastened knives on their tusks, "...with which they do much harm".

In "By my Sword and Shield" (E.Jaiwent Paul, New Delhi, 1995, p.106) the author describes the tusks of the elephants were "...tipped with sharp metal points".

Richardson (p.103) claims that a pair of the tusk swords still survive at Powis Castle in England, and "...tusk swords are otherwise very rare, the only other examples known to us are two rather small and probably late pairs from the now dispersed Mysore arsenal of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar III (1794-1868); one of these pairs was offered for sale in London (Sothebys 1991, Lot 553)".
Wonder what these went for?!! Anybody got that catalog?

To tell the truth, I dont think those elephants really needed swords! just as you say nKante. But I always thought it was interesting to know if they really existed. These were all the references I could find so far.

As you have noted Katana, the elephants were trained to crush, throw unfortunate victims with their trunks etc. Apparantly they were also key rally points, easy to see! They served sort of as vantage points of sorts for the maharajah, unfortunately up there he became a pretty good target for the archers.

With all this talk about elephants, I cant help thinking of the 'pet' of Victor MacLaughlin in "Gunga Din" !! when it tried to follow them on the suspension bridge! 'bit of a problem there!!'.



All best regards,
Jim