Afghan tribal sabre. Tulwar or Shamshir?

Jim McDougall · 19th September 2007, 09:48 PM

This sabre is a talwar, and the blade is clearly not a shamshir blade, which had no ricasso. This blade form has the very pronounced ricasso, and almost recessed blade edge. It is puzzling in determining exactly what regions or who favored these open hilt talwars, or for that matter the exact period in which they were used. This example appears latter 19th c. and the form is known to have been used from Sind as far as Lahore to the east.

There does not really seem to be anything about this tulwar that would suggest Afghan associations, which is not to say it could never have gotten that far north. I am not inclined to think the scabbard chape is Afghan, but I know what Spiral is thinking of (see 'Bad news talwar', March, 2007 in which a talwar is mounted in an Afghan scabbard identified by the long, fluted chape). The chape on this while profusely ornate, does not have the pierced mounts and long fluted chape.
The rivet through the chowk does seem to have some association to presumed far north talwars when considering concurrent discussions on talwars presently running, but that entirely speculative.

Regarding the 'onion' motif on the blade, where has this been seen before? I cannot recall seeing this, and I am wondering if it actually represents an onion. The concentric circle motif on the hilt seems solar oriented, but could be floral considering the leaves in the pommel dish. Any thoughts on what flowers or leaves may be represented?

19th September 2007, 09:48 PM	#12
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,195	This sabre is a talwar, and the blade is clearly not a shamshir blade, which had no ricasso. This blade form has the very pronounced ricasso, and almost recessed blade edge. It is puzzling in determining exactly what regions or who favored these open hilt talwars, or for that matter the exact period in which they were used. This example appears latter 19th c. and the form is known to have been used from Sind as far as Lahore to the east. There does not really seem to be anything about this tulwar that would suggest Afghan associations, which is not to say it could never have gotten that far north. I am not inclined to think the scabbard chape is Afghan, but I know what Spiral is thinking of (see 'Bad news talwar', March, 2007 in which a talwar is mounted in an Afghan scabbard identified by the long, fluted chape). The chape on this while profusely ornate, does not have the pierced mounts and long fluted chape. The rivet through the chowk does seem to have some association to presumed far north talwars when considering concurrent discussions on talwars presently running, but that entirely speculative. Regarding the 'onion' motif on the blade, where has this been seen before? I cannot recall seeing this, and I am wondering if it actually represents an onion. The concentric circle motif on the hilt seems solar oriented, but could be floral considering the leaves in the pommel dish. Any thoughts on what flowers or leaves may be represented?