Decoration on Indian blades

tom hyle · 27th January 2005, 12:14 PM

Interesting that both animals being attacked art domestic animals, bringing the hand or representation of man into the struggle. I don't think a leopard will really attack an elephant; it may be "same as a lion" (my favourite name, I think, for an animal; "what's that animal?" "It's equal to a lion." 'nuff said about it.) but I don't think a lion will do that either; I have heard that a tiger will upon ocassion, or lions in a gang....nice carving though, and there seems to be some evocation of the purpose/excuse for an heroic/armigerous class in the attack of domestic animals by wild ones.

Jens Nordlunde · 27th January 2005, 02:34 PM

I like the Indian blade with carvings, the animals are not made stiff, they are moving, and you can see it – true artists make carvings like this.
Most blades showing animals fighting or walking in procession are hunting swords, which of course does not mean, that they could not be used for other purposes. On both sides of the blade is an inscription, one in Farsi and the other one in an Indian dialect.
A strange thing is, that the hand guard can be screwed off, but it is clear that the screw thread is handmade. In Leo S.Figiel’ On Damascus Steel, pages 104-5, you can see a hilt very much alike, but whether this hand guard can be screwed off is not known, as he does not mention anything about it.

Jens Nordlunde · 27th January 2005, 02:41 PM

Here is the whole sword. The blade type is a Kirach. Total length 86 cm.

Jim McDougall · 28th January 2005, 01:58 AM

Jens,
Another absolutely beautiful weapon!
The type of blade, the kirach, is especially interesting, especially in ths type hilt. I am inclined to think this is a Rajput weapon and the hilt form corresponds to similar khanjars from Rajasthan.

The decorative motif depicting various animals on the blade is termed 'shikargaha' in India, and seems to derive from Persian craftsmanship in such motif. It is generally presumed that these decorative blades are typically found on blades of 'hunting' swords, as the figures of animals in varying action situations suggest. There are examples with wider range of figures including one with a tiger attacking a mahout (elephant driver), a tiger attacking a horseman, some even with a horseman pursuing a foot soldier.

It was a very common practice in India, at 'durbar', to present gifts of ceremonial weapons to achieved individuals and persons of high status, many which certainly included so called hunting weapons, or as it seems, possibly weapons carrying depictions of events.

Possibly there were certain allegorical themes or totemic symbolisms used in metaphor in many of these wonderfully crafted blades, aside from seemingly random depictions of various animals and figures. Weapons have long been vehicles to carry important iconographic and traditional symbolism in most cultures, regardless of how subtily these messages are carried.

Best regards,
Jim

tom hyle · 28th January 2005, 03:53 AM

I don't understand where the screw is?

Jens Nordlunde · 28th January 2005, 04:31 PM

Here you can see how it was screwed onto the hilt.
I think I forgot to tell that the blade is wootz - sorry.

Jens Nordlunde · 28th January 2005, 09:45 PM

Just one more thing. Not all of the hand guards were made together with the hilts. Sometimes the hand guards were made seperate and fitted to the hilt.

Jens

27th January 2005, 02:34 PM	#2
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	I like the Indian blade with carvings, the animals are not made stiff, they are moving, and you can see it – true artists make carvings like this. Most blades showing animals fighting or walking in procession are hunting swords, which of course does not mean, that they could not be used for other purposes. On both sides of the blade is an inscription, one in Farsi and the other one in an Indian dialect. A strange thing is, that the hand guard can be screwed off, but it is clear that the screw thread is handmade. In Leo S.Figiel’ On Damascus Steel, pages 104-5, you can see a hilt very much alike, but whether this hand guard can be screwed off is not known, as he does not mention anything about it. Attached Images

27th January 2005, 02:41 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Here is the whole sword. The blade type is a Kirach. Total length 86 cm. Attached Images

28th January 2005, 01:58 AM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,295	Jens, Another absolutely beautiful weapon! The type of blade, the kirach, is especially interesting, especially in ths type hilt. I am inclined to think this is a Rajput weapon and the hilt form corresponds to similar khanjars from Rajasthan. The decorative motif depicting various animals on the blade is termed 'shikargaha' in India, and seems to derive from Persian craftsmanship in such motif. It is generally presumed that these decorative blades are typically found on blades of 'hunting' swords, as the figures of animals in varying action situations suggest. There are examples with wider range of figures including one with a tiger attacking a mahout (elephant driver), a tiger attacking a horseman, some even with a horseman pursuing a foot soldier. It was a very common practice in India, at 'durbar', to present gifts of ceremonial weapons to achieved individuals and persons of high status, many which certainly included so called hunting weapons, or as it seems, possibly weapons carrying depictions of events. Possibly there were certain allegorical themes or totemic symbolisms used in metaphor in many of these wonderfully crafted blades, aside from seemingly random depictions of various animals and figures. Weapons have long been vehicles to carry important iconographic and traditional symbolism in most cultures, regardless of how subtily these messages are carried. Best regards, Jim Last edited by Jim McDougall; 28th January 2005 at 02:51 AM.

28th January 2005, 04:31 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Here you can see how it was screwed onto the hilt. I think I forgot to tell that the blade is wootz - sorry. Attached Images Last edited by Jens Nordlunde; 28th January 2005 at 07:20 PM.

27th January 2005, 12:14 PM	#1
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Interesting that both animals being attacked art domestic animals, bringing the hand or representation of man into the struggle. I don't think a leopard will really attack an elephant; it may be "same as a lion" (my favourite name, I think, for an animal; "what's that animal?" "It's equal to a lion." 'nuff said about it.) but I don't think a lion will do that either; I have heard that a tiger will upon ocassion, or lions in a gang....nice carving though, and there seems to be some evocation of the purpose/excuse for an heroic/armigerous class in the attack of domestic animals by wild ones.

28th January 2005, 03:53 AM	#5
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	I don't understand where the screw is?

28th January 2005, 09:45 PM	#7
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Just one more thing. Not all of the hand guards were made together with the hilts. Sometimes the hand guards were made seperate and fitted to the hilt. Jens