Ceremonial Axe - with Bells

Jim McDougall · 11th November 2012, 12:26 AM

Paul it sounds like your dad is an exciting and fascinating fellow who clearly had some extraordinarily eclectic interests. It is great that you are sharing these interesting pieces here.
This is indeed as Gene has described, a South Indian 'temple' sword or processional sword, probably from Kerala or regions which may include Malabar. The bells and 'jingles' are auspiciously placed and typically used as 'bearing' swords whose noise keep away demons and malevolent spirits.
Swords of these unusual profiles are actually based on actual weapons used in early Hindu kingdoms and many are seen in iconography as illustrated in Rawson.
These are typically referred to as 'Nayar temple swords' and several other classifications. They are also typically thought of as quite collectible among serious collectors of Indian arms. This example may be considered latter 19th into 20th c. but often these can be earlier. As they are typically in relatively static situations they reflect less aging than many other weapon forms.

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11th November 2012, 12:26 AM	#10
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,194	Paul it sounds like your dad is an exciting and fascinating fellow who clearly had some extraordinarily eclectic interests. It is great that you are sharing these interesting pieces here. This is indeed as Gene has described, a South Indian 'temple' sword or processional sword, probably from Kerala or regions which may include Malabar. The bells and 'jingles' are auspiciously placed and typically used as 'bearing' swords whose noise keep away demons and malevolent spirits. Swords of these unusual profiles are actually based on actual weapons used in early Hindu kingdoms and many are seen in iconography as illustrated in Rawson. These are typically referred to as 'Nayar temple swords' and several other classifications. They are also typically thought of as quite collectible among serious collectors of Indian arms. This example may be considered latter 19th into 20th c. but often these can be earlier. As they are typically in relatively static situations they reflect less aging than many other weapon forms.