Awaiting location update
Maker(s)
Maker:
Unknown
Entities
Categories
Description
The blade of steel is straight and double edged, with a medial rib and hollow ground at either side. The hilt is formed of two broad rectangular section bars joined by a grip formed of two bars with central fluted balusters, and mouldings at either side. At the front is a deeply curved concave bar attached to the blade by langets terminating in lotus buds, with a single rivet. The bars and langets are bordered by bands of engraved wavy lines, the ground between being fretted with an interlace pattern. The inside of the front bar and the langets are similarly decorated with crude incised flowers and hatching. Much of the decoration is obscured by thick black paint. The blade is pitted from its earlier corrosion
Notes
History note: From Tanjore arsenal, but unnumbered.
Legal notes
Given by Robert Taylor, MA
Measurements and weight
Blade Length: 28 cm
Overall Length: 46 cm
Weight: 420 g
Acquisition and important dates
Method of acquisition: Given
(1879)
by
Taylor, Robert, MA
Dating
17th Century#
Circa
1600
CE
-
1700
CE
Note
See Elgood 2004: 145, 157–62 for this general group of south Indian katars. Note this one has an Indian blade, which might make it earlier. Clearly part of the ‘Ganjam’ group, numbered O.105-1879 by elimination.
Components of the work
Blade
composed of
steel
References and bibliographic entries
Identification numbers
Accession number: O.105-1879
Primary reference Number: 158420
Stable URI
Audit data
Created: Saturday 6 August 2011
Updated: Monday 1 October 2012
Last processed: Thursday 7 December 2023
Associated departments & institutions
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
