Tegha

Jens Nordlunde · 23rd December 2006, 09:59 AM

Ian once found and bought a manuscript written by Rawson, and was kind enough to put it on the net for others to read. Some of the pages seem to be missing, as some of the page references can’t be found, but here is what he writes about the tegha.

The term Tegha is, strictly speaking, the common Arabic word for the blade of a sword, but here, following Egerton, it is to designate a sword resembling the Tulwar, the blade of which has an exceptionally deep backward curve. There are two forms of Tegha; one is Islamic for discussion of which see p. 29 (missing), and the other Hindo, for which see p. 72 (missing).
Later he writes.
Nimcha or Tegha or Goliah. Small light sword slightly curved, made of hard waved steel (pigeons eye); plain handle, Hindostan 1780. Boorhampore. Taken at Seringapatan.

It is a bit confusing that he writes ‘Small light sword slightly curved’. But the one Egerton mentions #399 has a blade width of about 4.5 cm – it is shown in fig. 24.

The Tegha on the picture is from Leth, André: Islamic Arms and Armour from private Danish Collections. Davids Samling. Copenhagen 1982. No 174, page 208 and 209. Weight 3.2 kg without scabbard, length scabbard incl. 101 cm, and width of blade at the base 8.3 cm.

23rd December 2006, 09:59 AM	#8
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Ian once found and bought a manuscript written by Rawson, and was kind enough to put it on the net for others to read. Some of the pages seem to be missing, as some of the page references can’t be found, but here is what he writes about the tegha. The term Tegha is, strictly speaking, the common Arabic word for the blade of a sword, but here, following Egerton, it is to designate a sword resembling the Tulwar, the blade of which has an exceptionally deep backward curve. There are two forms of Tegha; one is Islamic for discussion of which see p. 29 (missing), and the other Hindo, for which see p. 72 (missing). Later he writes. Nimcha or Tegha or Goliah. Small light sword slightly curved, made of hard waved steel (pigeons eye); plain handle, Hindostan 1780. Boorhampore. Taken at Seringapatan. It is a bit confusing that he writes ‘Small light sword slightly curved’. But the one Egerton mentions #399 has a blade width of about 4.5 cm – it is shown in fig. 24. The Tegha on the picture is from Leth, André: Islamic Arms and Armour from private Danish Collections. Davids Samling. Copenhagen 1982. No 174, page 208 and 209. Weight 3.2 kg without scabbard, length scabbard incl. 101 cm, and width of blade at the base 8.3 cm. Attached Images