Ankus

[Timo Nieminen]

Originally Posted by Ian

Is there any evidence that the ankus, or elephant goad, was actually used as a weapon?

Stone's Glossary and Egerton both include it; therefore, obviously a weapon! It even features as a weapon in the 1st editions AD&D Monster Manual.

More realistically, the ones with hidden spikes in the handle are clearly weapons. That doesn't mean that the ankus itself isn't a weapon; one sees such spikes in axes, for example.

It's carried as a weapon by Parvati in her aspect as Durga, goddess of the victory of good over evil. The whole set of weapons is the trisula, sword, chakram, bow and arrow, mace, shield, axe, noose, ankus. There's variation - sometimes I see a snake instead of the noose, a conch shell (i.e., a battle trumpet). Apparently, the weapons can include a javelin, but I don't recall seeing one in art. The picture below also includes what looks like a bell.

Which doesn't mean it was used as a weapon by humans (but surely it was, as an item of convenience), or designed for use as a weapon, except for gun/hidden spike versions. But it means it has some official status as a weapon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parvati
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga
Pic from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:D...uramardini.JPG