Small sickle chopper -- Southern Indian (?)

Jens Nordlunde · 4th July 2005, 01:29 PM

Ian, Here is another chopper from south India.
http://forums.swordforum.com/showthr...threadid=53613

Bill · 13th July 2005, 02:13 AM

This one is pretty big, weighs over 4 lbs., not really sure what it is or what it was used for. Malabar chopper? Inside curve is sharpened as well as the "axe" portion. In Tirri's book he has a # of choppers from India, as well as some smaller sickels in the Malay/Indo section he refers to as Arit.

olikara · 16th September 2007, 09:43 AM

I was going through some older threads and just resurrected this one as I saw a chopper from kerala that Bill wanted an ID on.

We still see these choppers in kerala and this one is called 'Aruvala' - 'Vala' means edged weapon. I am not sure if they were used in war in kerala earlier, but they do come up in various sizes today. However their basic shape remains the same. The hilt is rarely as ornate as the one Bill has shown here.

They serve a unique purpose. The sharper edge is used to cut through thick grass and to dehusk coconuts. Once the coconut is dehusked, the other side of the Aruval is used to strike the coconut shell and split it into two. This is the use of the leading edge on the blunt face that you can see in Bill's photograph.

Kerala has the largest area of land under coconut cultivation till recently. Now cash crops like rubber, vanilla and cocoa are taking a toll on coconut. Incidentally, Kerala itself is derieved fron 'Kera' - Sanskrit for Coconut. The English word 'Coir' is inturn also derived from the same root 'Kera'.

Jim McDougall · 16th September 2007, 08:44 PM

Hi Olikara,
Thank you so much for reviving this and bringing in this valuable information! It is always so rewarding to see threads that had important discussion going on identifying a certain weapon brought up with new evidence or material.
It is very kind of you to show such diligence in sharing such data.

All very best regards,
Jim

Emanuel · 17th September 2007, 02:17 AM

Hello,

The last blade posted by Bill bears an uncanny resemblance to a western bill hook also known as a fascine knife. This European variant is purely a tool and not a weapon, used cutting brush and building fortifications. Could the above blade be an European one rehilted and adopted in India and SEA?
Attached are are some pictures I found on google.

Regards,
Emanuel

Billman · 5th November 2010, 06:49 PM

Yes, all of these tools bear more than a superficial resemblence to the European billhook (only called a fascine knife in the USA). Working tool/weapon/ceremonial use must depend upon the context - but the billhook became the bill (halberd or pike) of the English foot soldier - and most when called to arms by their lord probably took their working handbill to the village blacksmith for a spike or hook to be welded on, and the tang changed to a socket for a longer handle - and off to war they went - if they survived they probably had it made back into a handbill. I saw a few that are obvious conversions from billhooks in the York museum (UK) some years ago...

But, I digress - even working tools were decorated (c.f. the billhooks and axes from Austria, Hungary and the Alpine regions of France and Italy) and handles could be plain or exotic, see: http://outils-anciens.xooit.fr/t1883...r-une-lame.htm (bottom of page) and http://outils-anciens.xooit.fr/t997-...htm?q=serpette

A working tool could thus become weapon or an object of beauty....

13th July 2005, 02:13 AM	#2
Bill Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chicago area Posts: 327	This one is pretty big, weighs over 4 lbs., not really sure what it is or what it was used for. Malabar chopper? Inside curve is sharpened as well as the "axe" portion. In Tirri's book he has a # of choppers from India, as well as some smaller sickels in the Malay/Indo section he refers to as Arit. Attached Images

16th September 2007, 09:43 AM	#3
olikara Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: India Posts: 102	Coconut Chopper - Aruvala I was going through some older threads and just resurrected this one as I saw a chopper from kerala that Bill wanted an ID on. We still see these choppers in kerala and this one is called 'Aruvala' - 'Vala' means edged weapon. I am not sure if they were used in war in kerala earlier, but they do come up in various sizes today. However their basic shape remains the same. The hilt is rarely as ornate as the one Bill has shown here. They serve a unique purpose. The sharper edge is used to cut through thick grass and to dehusk coconuts. Once the coconut is dehusked, the other side of the Aruval is used to strike the coconut shell and split it into two. This is the use of the leading edge on the blunt face that you can see in Bill's photograph. Kerala has the largest area of land under coconut cultivation till recently. Now cash crops like rubber, vanilla and cocoa are taking a toll on coconut. Incidentally, Kerala itself is derieved fron 'Kera' - Sanskrit for Coconut. The English word 'Coir' is inturn also derived from the same root 'Kera'.

17th September 2007, 02:17 AM	#5
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Hello, The last blade posted by Bill bears an uncanny resemblance to a western bill hook also known as a fascine knife. This European variant is purely a tool and not a weapon, used cutting brush and building fortifications. Could the above blade be an European one rehilted and adopted in India and SEA? Attached are are some pictures I found on google. Regards, Emanuel Attached Images

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4th July 2005, 01:29 PM	#1
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Ian, Here is another chopper from south India. http://forums.swordforum.com/showthr...threadid=53613

16th September 2007, 08:44 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	Hi Olikara, Thank you so much for reviving this and bringing in this valuable information! It is always so rewarding to see threads that had important discussion going on identifying a certain weapon brought up with new evidence or material. It is very kind of you to show such diligence in sharing such data. All very best regards, Jim

5th November 2010, 06:49 PM	#6
Billman Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 129	Yes, all of these tools bear more than a superficial resemblence to the European billhook (only called a fascine knife in the USA). Working tool/weapon/ceremonial use must depend upon the context - but the billhook became the bill (halberd or pike) of the English foot soldier - and most when called to arms by their lord probably took their working handbill to the village blacksmith for a spike or hook to be welded on, and the tang changed to a socket for a longer handle - and off to war they went - if they survived they probably had it made back into a handbill. I saw a few that are obvious conversions from billhooks in the York museum (UK) some years ago... But, I digress - even working tools were decorated (c.f. the billhooks and axes from Austria, Hungary and the Alpine regions of France and Italy) and handles could be plain or exotic, see: http://outils-anciens.xooit.fr/t1883...r-une-lame.htm (bottom of page) and http://outils-anciens.xooit.fr/t997-...htm?q=serpette A working tool could thus become weapon or an object of beauty....