Santali spiked parrying shield

Jim McDougall · 20th April 2026, 06:22 PM

Found this example, 19th c. from Assam.Egerton, 1896, p.91, cat.#216

Reminds me of the 'maru,madu, singuata' of Maratha, Bhil people west India.....which is a buckler mounted with opposed roebuck (antelope) horns used for parrying. It seems these were on occasion mounted with spikes. These kinds of weapons were akin to the creatively fashioned arms believed to be carried by fakirs (religious mendicants) who were not allowed to carry traditional 'weapons'. It seems there were variants such as the fakirs 'crutch' which had a spike etc. These kinds of weapons evolved into the dual bladed 'haladie' which while has been known as the knife often seen in Sudanese context, it generally held to have had Rajput origins.

It seems perhaps the concept of these bucklers might have earlier western India origins, via the Marathas, Rajputs, into Punjab and of course incursions eastward in earlier times, with these examples of bladed and spiked bucklers likely 19th c.

20th April 2026, 06:22 PM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,848	In Egerton Found this example, 19th c. from Assam.Egerton, 1896, p.91, cat.#216 Reminds me of the 'maru,madu, singuata' of Maratha, Bhil people west India.....which is a buckler mounted with opposed roebuck (antelope) horns used for parrying. It seems these were on occasion mounted with spikes. These kinds of weapons were akin to the creatively fashioned arms believed to be carried by fakirs (religious mendicants) who were not allowed to carry traditional 'weapons'. It seems there were variants such as the fakirs 'crutch' which had a spike etc. These kinds of weapons evolved into the dual bladed 'haladie' which while has been known as the knife often seen in Sudanese context, it generally held to have had Rajput origins. It seems perhaps the concept of these bucklers might have earlier western India origins, via the Marathas, Rajputs, into Punjab and of course incursions eastward in earlier times, with these examples of bladed and spiked bucklers likely 19th c. Attached Images Last edited by Jim McDougall; 20th April 2026 at 06:37 PM.