Dagger: O.149-1879

Maker(s)

Maker: Unknown

Entities

• Dagger
• Indian weapons
• chilanum

Categories

• Weapons

Description

Hilt and blade are made in one piece of steel. The blade is double edged and double curved, with a long chevron of six fullers running down most of the blade. At the forte the blade widens into bud-like wings with cusps at either side. The hilt is waisted, with a central squashed globular knop with double mouldings at either side, and has symmetrical curved winged guard and pommel, The thick flange between the wings of the pommel is extended into a finial with an onion-shaped terminal. The hilt and forte of the blade are covered with cross hatching, and the whole was covered originally in silver koftgari with floral ornament. The blade polished bright with pitting from its earlier corrosion

Notes

History note: From Ganjam. Probably from Tanjore arsenal

Legal notes

Given by Robert Taylor, MA

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1879) by Taylor, Robert, MA

Dating

16th Century, Late
Circa 1560 CE - 1600 CE

Note

Compare Metropolitan Museum of Art New York no 36.25.751 from the Stone, Oldman and Walhouse collections, the lavishly decorated 36.25.6AB in the same collection and one from a private collection (Elgood 2004: 178–80, figs 16.32, 16.36 and 16.38. Compare the illustration in the Nukum al-Ulum of 1570, Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, reproduced in Elgood 2004: 216 api.11