Saintie

[Ian]

Kubur,

Edgerton also has an example of a sainti. If you have a copy of his book, it is illustrated in Plate X, no. 557. Here is what he says about No. 557:

"PARRYING SHIELD; "Sainti;" consisting of a ringed shaft of steel, 22 inches in length, which is held in the middle; the grip is protected by a padded basket of steel, from the centre of which projects a small dagger. Vizianagram. (Pl. X., No. 557) (8452-'55.)

This weapon was introduced into Spain by the Arabs, an example of it is found in the Armeria Real de Madrid, dating from the 15th century."

The illustration that accompanies this text most closely resembles the picture you show with a straight bar, a D-guard and a small dagger protruding from the latter. The examples you show with blades at either end of the bar are, I understand, widely called haladie. The lance-like item you show, with a central D-guard, does not seem to fit either a sainti or a haladie, and may well have another name.

Ian.

[kronckew]

The spear one with knuckle guard reminds me of the Zulu Ik'lwa which is used with a large shield as a thrusting weapon, much like a Roman legionary's gladius. The knuckle guard and all steel construction would be an evolutionary bonus. Shaka and Julius would, I have little doubt, love it.

[Peter Andeweg]

Hi Kubur,
Saintie are very rare. I sold one example in 2020. Here is the link with some additional info.
https://antiquesbythesea.com/product...rying-saintie/

(If that is okay with admin)

Regards, Peter

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by Peter Andeweg

Hi Kubur,
Saintie are very rare. I sold one example in 2020. Here is the link with some additional info.
https://antiquesbythesea.com/product...rying-saintie/

(If that is okay with admin)

Regards, Peter

Thanks Peter
Beautiful object, the blade is really like a katar, if not a katar...

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by Ian

Kubur,

Edgerton also has an example of a sainti. If you have a copy of his book, it is illustrated in Plate X, no. 557. Here is what he says about No. 557:

"PARRYING SHIELD; "Sainti;" consisting of a ringed shaft of steel, 22 inches in length, which is held in the middle; the grip is protected by a padded basket of steel, from the centre of which projects a small dagger. Vizianagram. (Pl. X., No. 557) (8452-'55.)

This weapon was introduced into Spain by the Arabs, an example of it is found in the Armeria Real de Madrid, dating from the 15th century."

The illustration that accompanies this text most closely resembles the picture you show with a straight bar, a D-guard and a small dagger protruding from the latter. The examples you show with blades at either end of the bar are, I understand, widely called haladie. The lance-like item you show, with a central D-guard, does not seem to fit either a sainti or a haladie, and may well have another name.

Ian.

Thanks Ian
I looked again at Holstein and I found 4 pages on the sainties. In fact as Estcrh said previously, it's not a weapon but a group of weapons, same function parrying but different shapes. The short spear is one of them, Holstein said that it was used with a shield. The madu seems to be related to this family...

[Peter Andeweg]

It has similarities to the Katar, but the Katar is much longer and mostly has a more pronounced armor piercing tip. Its is more leaning toward a South Indian spearhead.

The 'Madu' you mentioned is described in the same group of parrying weapons in Davinder Reddy's 'Arms & Armour of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka' p. 332-333
The 'Madu' is often attributed to the region of Rajasthan, North Indian region.

[Jim McDougall]

As Peter and Kubur have well noted, the so called 'saintie' is effectively in the scope of 'parrying weapons' which have some interesting history.

In Dr. S. Haider, "Islamic Arms and Armor of Muslim India" (Lahore, 1991, p.243):

The term 'saintie' seems to derive from a short throwing spear which was used by Rajputs and carried in pairs to be thrown as spears. In this case these were called BARCHHI and were about 2'7" with about 6" head.
The Mughal version of these were termed KHISHT NEZA (SAINTHI).
These do not have the hand loop or central guard etc. but otherwise look similar......the term is what seems intriguingly key.

These lances/spears were versions of slightly longer 'SANG' and another called SELARAH (Hindu term 'sel' =lance).

It seems these had a hand loop on them in the center, but appears to have become a solid fixture in the parrying weapon derivation. It would appear that this idea derived from such a weapon which appears to have entered Spain via Arabs where the edged ends with a central shield and dagger
(adarga, al daraqa =shield) . This central shield/weapon comes further from an early Chinese parrying weapon (attached from "Weapons", Diagram Group, 1980, p.73).