An old Tibetan warrior

[Shakethetrees]

Very interesting and well made weapons! I wouldn't mind having one or two examples myself.

However, I would like to hazard a guess as to why there are so few replies. These weapons are so scarcely encountered and there has been so little published on them that most of us out here are totally unfamiliar!

Tibet and Bhutan are so remote and removed from the discussion of history and politics that in many circles all you get is a blank look when they are mentioned.

Only in recent times has tourism by more than a handful of westerners been readily possible.

And only briefly in the last 100 years and in WWII has there ever been even minor Western military presence.

I do not believe, (and I could be wrong here!), that either place has had any significant presence of Western missionaries.

Back in the heyday of collection building in the 19th century, missionaries, military, and business tourism/exploration were the primary customary manner by which ethnographic material arrived on Western shores.

Except for the few pieces making their way West via a small trickle-out along diplomatic or traditional trade, you just don't see them.

[Jim McDougall]

The things you point out are very true, and thank you so much for writing here. That was a thoughtful thing to do.
I can only speak for myself, in that these kinds of unusual and esoteric weapons are inherently exciting and all the more interesting for these very reasons.
I am a desperately curious person, and obsessive research maniac as can be seen in the many years Ive written here.
My goal has always been to search, find, study and share information and to place it here in hopes of us all learning together.

With the net these days it is unbelievable that I can find online things that used to take me months even years to find in the early years B.C. (before computers!).

Many guys are discouraged from certain kinds of weapons because they cannot afford or find them. For me, I learned long ago that it was the learning, not the collecting that was my thing. The beauty of these pages is that I can enjoy and learn from the pieces other guys who can find and buy them. The added plus is that we all can.

Thank you again for adding your comments here, very much appreciated.

[ariel]

I agree. Tibet was always "forbidden place" for the Westerners. For centuries, their only outside contacts were essentially with China and Mongolia. The Younghusband expedition opened a small crack into it, but Japanese occupation of China and following civil wars once again made Tibet a very unattractive place to venture in.
And, finally, Chinese occupation...

All in all, real Tibetan antiques and especially weapons are almost unobtainable.

BTW, Tibet had very aggressive military policies centuries ago, but the current Dalai Lama conducted a brilliant PR campaign to re-market Tibet for the Western consumption as a peaceful paradise.
Had it not been for LaRocca's book, most of us would have never known that there are such things as Tibetan weapons.

[ariel]

Here are 4 of mine.
A short Tse Psa ( Gavin calls it Ral Gri, and I am not going to argue, because AFAIK nobody really knows how to pronounce Tibetan words :-)))

Then, a long palash Ke Tri ( ot Ge Dzhi, see above).

Then an Eastern Tibetan palash

And, finally a Kora, purportedly Tibetan because of its slender structure ( not sure if it is true).

[Jim McDougall]

Ariel,
Thank you so much for the great input on this , and these very nice examples.
Actually the term Gav uses is correct as I mentioned was included in conversations with Philip Tom and the data from LaRocca.

All best regards
Jim

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by ariel

And, finally a Kora, purportedly Tibetan because of its slender structure ( not sure if it is true).

Ariel, here is a kora on the left that Gavin sold which he identifies as Tibetan compared to the one you posted which appears to be be from Nepal but someone with more knowledge might comfirm this.

[Gavin Nugent]

Nice Kora Ariel,

I'd be inclined to pin yours down as Tibet too.

To my eye but without formal factual data to back it up, the rounded Stupa pommel arrangement, the form of the disc guard and the slender blade point to Tibet for me.

I'd love to replace the very early Tibetan Kora I sold years ago but the wheels must keep turning so other treasures like the Tibet sword can be obtained and studied.

Gavin

[Gavin Nugent]

Perhaps a new thread or an old Kora thread should be revived....this image of a Sikh holding a Kora, although a line drawing from the 19th century puts an alternative perspective on the early type when viewing the hilt.

Gavin

[kronckew]

poor guy looks under armed. needs a couple of quivers too. and a few more knives.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Gavin Nugent

Perhaps a new thread or an old Kora thread should be revived....this image of a Sikh holding a Kora, although a line drawing from the 19th century puts an alternative perspective on the early type when viewing the hilt.

Gavin

Here is a comparison between Gavins kora (lt) and a kora from Artzi (rt), with the Indian kora drawing in the middle, with Gavins being described as Tibetan and Artzis described as being Central / North Indian. The Indian kora drawing has a different blade type and hilt. Gavins and Artzis kora seem to be of the same type.

Below is George stones kora description with Arials kora on the bottom right, which looks just like the kora that Stone describes as being from Nepal. Both of the kora that Stone describes as being from Tibet seem to have a different blade type fron the Nepal kora.