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7th September 2022, 04:50 PM | #1 |
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Ayda Katti, Moplah, Corg, Matchu Sword or Something else
All of the above bear similarities to this sword, but they don't quite fit the bill. The guard and the handle as well as the length of the blade(21"), and its configuration don't match.
I think that it is a Southern Indian Sword and possibly from Malabar and I know I've seen a similar example somewhere, but I can not remember from where. |
8th September 2022, 07:47 AM | #2 | |
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Quote:
This axe-hatchet (Aruval) was in use both for fighting/protection as well as agricultural tool. The blade shape of this type reminds the form of blades on the Coorg’s Ayda Katti sword of the Kodava people from Karnataka |
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8th September 2022, 10:53 AM | #3 |
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I don't have any references yet, though I'll keep searching my library, but I do have a couple of items in my collection. The pictures are not great as one is an archive photo, so no stats or more details to post, unless I dig it out for a closer look. The second is a recent acquisition and I only have the auction picture to share at the moment. Both seem to be from a related family of weapons/tools judging by the hilt formation. I've heard these described as congavellum, Malabar chopper, South Indian axe... Your blade is much more of a fighting conformation I'd say.
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8th September 2022, 12:58 PM | #4 |
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Thank you both for your insightful observations. I guess mine is a hybrid; Mahratt's example has a 13" blade whereas mine is 21" long and it has a blood groove running along almost its entire length(probably not clear from my pictures). Also, the curvature on the blade is less pronounced and I would agree with Jerseyman that this would make it more of a fighting sword and less "axe-like."
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8th September 2022, 02:26 PM | #5 | |
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Quote:
In regards to your example specifically - it's a good one! Your blade looks really solid, and probably dates to the 18th century, while the hilt is rather... less so in quality, and probably dates to the 19th C. Indeed, as you noted with the blade and handle not seeming to match, most congavellum historically seem to have had their handles replaced with some frequency. Most that survive seem to feature 18th century blades with 19th century replacement handles or replaced handle parts (things like the guard, pommel plates, etc.), although there are rare occasions that untouched 18th or even 17th century examples can be found with their original grips. In terms of how you can date congavellum, their form often decays into the 19th century, much like those of most other Indian weapons. This is to say that often times the shape of the blade gets shortened and more exaggerated (more curved and sickle-like specifically). The workmanship on the handle, too, gets sloppier and often times the complex pommel assembly (formerly featuring a series of plates with upcurling ends) gets replaced with a simple tiered pyramid shape (which is what your example has). Though, as always, there are occasional good quality examples from the 19th century, and, conversely low quality older examples intended likely as "beaters" or made for lower class/caste peoples. Given their mysterious origin it's rather hard to say anything interesting about their actual use. Likely, most 18th century examples functioned like machete-swords, indeed putting the "chopper" in "malabar chopper", however it is possible by this point these swords were mostly ceremonial/status pieces. Earlier examples from the 17th century, however, were notably more sword-like in form, and were likely used as such. Attached is an image of three congavellum from my collection, in which the top most example likely entirely dates to the 17th century. It is curious that your example has a blade quite similar in form to mine, however I still suspect that it is from the 18th century, not 17th, as it lacks the wear present on older congavellum blades, and also the feature of such a wide, pronounced fuller was not one that was commonplace until the 18th century. Earlier examples more commonly only have a single narrow fuller along the back. The other two congavellum pictured from top to bottom are likely an 18th century blade in an early 19th century cast brass hilt, and an entirely 18th century piece with the pommel assembly (plates) replaced in the 19th century. |
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8th September 2022, 06:46 PM | #6 |
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Nihl, thank you so much for adding this thoroughly detailed analysis and adding your examples of these forms. It seems there is so little material available that includes this kind of detail (I have never heard the term 'congavellum'!)
It is great that you go into this kind of detail......I know I never stop learning here, and you have really filled a gap in my notes on these South Indian weapons! |
8th September 2022, 07:44 PM | #7 |
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Wow, Nihl, thank you for your detailed account of a weapon that prior to today I had no clue as to what it was; more amazing was the fact that you had 3 of them!
I looked up a few references on Nayar, Nair History and found them to be fascinating. |
8th September 2022, 11:13 PM | #8 | |||
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Thanks for the positive responses both of you! What I wrote is mostly the result of me pouring over and analyzing every detail of every single example of a congavellum I could find on the net. Indeed, these things are quite rare, but they tend to pop up with a strange regularity when you know what to look for.
In response to Jim Quote:
Aruval - The tamil term for a type of long billhook machete. Whether or not this term could be applied to a historical form of sword remains to be seen, as no examples of true antique aruvals (that is to say billhook-esque swords originating from tamil nadu) exist to my knowledge. Kathir Aruval - The clear agricultural version of an aruval, taking the form of a slightly-more-elaborate-than-usual sickle, but otherwise intended more as a ceremonial implement than a weapon. Koduval - The Malayali term for a machete, koduval appears to apply exclusively to machete tools, rather than machete-swords, so it is a red herring here. Possibly, the term could be applied to the swords used by the mappila people, given how close they look to modern koduval machetes, but this remains to be determined. Linguistically it might be distantly related to congavellum. Kongavela - Seemingly used interchangeably with congavellum, it's possibly a kind of intermediary between congavellum and the previous term koduval. Possibly could be used to refer to the 18th century variety of congavellum that are more sickle-like and less sword-like. Matchu/Machchu - Karnataka's distinct take on the "chopper" design, the term "Matchu" as collectors use it applies to all malabar choppers with long handles and short blades - in essence the southern parallel to the northern Bhuj knife-axe. Worth noting that in Kannada "Machchu" just means "machete", so in terms of historical accuracy any chopper that found its way into karnatakan lands would have been called a matchu. Veecharuval - The long, two-handed version of an aruval (veech indeed translates to something like "long" or "big" in tamil). Interestingly, in contrast to the absence of extant antique aruval, quite a few of these large, two-handed, billhook-like swords from tamil nadu still exist. Although it's possible they were used as large agricultural tools, based on the forms of extant veecharuval it seems likely they were more used for ritual executions and - before that - possibly in combat as well. And of course there is also Congavellum - A kind of forwards curving sword used by the Nayar warrior-kings in the late medieval-early modern period of malabari history. After being deposed by the Travancore kingdom, the nayars adopted their own kind of tulwar-style val (the Kayamkulam Val as collectors know it (val being the generic word for sword in malayali)), while continuing to make congavellum, but likely using them mostly for ceremonial purposes instead of martial ones. I'll try to attach pictures to correspond with each of these words, however some don't line up with anything, and others are easier to find as modern tools than as antiques. This also doesn't include congavellum of course as I already showed them in my last post. In response to Drac2k Quote:
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9th September 2022, 06:57 PM | #9 |
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Nihl,
This is pure textbook!! and amazing. That is you have literally compiled a textbook status resource on these weapons that is what is needed for those who collect in these areas. You were incredibly fortunate to have had your contact with the late Mr.Elvis who seems to have had formidable knowledge in identifying these esoteric weapons. Actually luck is one of the most valuable factors in collecting, and the items found purely through serendipity are all the more wonderful as they often have yet to be told stories. Also a great source is the stalwart Rsword!!! who has always had remarkable skills in finding the most unusual and remarkable arms examples in the many years I have known him here. Thank you very much for the time and effort in compiling and sharing this here! Jim |
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