Dagger: O.92-1879

Maker(s)

Maker: Unknown

Entities

• Dagger
• Indian weapons
• katar

Categories

• Weapons

Description

The blade of steel is straight and double edged, cut down from an imported European broadsword blade. The hilt is formed of two plain hollow ground bars joined by a grip formed of two bars with central balusters, waisted at either side. At the front is a deeply curved concave bar attached to the blade by heavy langets terminating in multi-pointed finials, with three rivets. Two of these rivets also attach a plain, flat hand guard, which narrows to a curled end. The surfaces have been polished bright, except on the guard, and are pitted from the earlier corrosion, and stained

Notes

History note: From Ganjam. Probably from the Tanjore armoury, broken up in 1860 (see documentation Elgood 2004)

Legal notes

Given by Robert Taylor, MA

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

17th Century, Mid#
Circa 1640 CE - 1660 CE

Note

Elgood (2004) records nothing quite so plain as this in his chapter on early katars, but compare the langets of 18 and 27 in fig. 15.1 p. 145