Interesting Tulwar with faint engraved design....Any Ideas ?

Jim McDougall · 20th December 2007, 04:12 AM

Actually Ariel, your thoughts might not be so silly. There is something very unusual about this hilt, the quillons and langet notwithstanding. The hilt seems heavy and disproportionate, and those circles with small prongs around do seem like markings like this on Cham (I believe) dhas and weapons. the arrangement of opposed semicircles and strategically placed 'solar' symbols at either end recall the often seen 'sickle' marks.
While this weapon is of the period suggested and of tulwar form, it does seem atypical overall.
The shell motif David mentioned was indeed a good suggestion, but I am wondering if there might be some auspicious Buddhist symbolism here rather than maritime use? Would the scallop shell be symbolically significant much as the conch shell is as one of the auspicious symbols?

best regards,
Jim

20th December 2007, 04:12 AM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	Actually Ariel, your thoughts might not be so silly. There is something very unusual about this hilt, the quillons and langet notwithstanding. The hilt seems heavy and disproportionate, and those circles with small prongs around do seem like markings like this on Cham (I believe) dhas and weapons. the arrangement of opposed semicircles and strategically placed 'solar' symbols at either end recall the often seen 'sickle' marks. While this weapon is of the period suggested and of tulwar form, it does seem atypical overall. The shell motif David mentioned was indeed a good suggestion, but I am wondering if there might be some auspicious Buddhist symbolism here rather than maritime use? Would the scallop shell be symbolically significant much as the conch shell is as one of the auspicious symbols? best regards, Jim