Dagger: O.140-1879

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 chevron of six deep fullers at the forte and a long reinforced point. At the forte the blade widens into bud-like wings with piercings at either side. The hilt is waisted, with a central squashed globular knop wit double mouldings at either side, and has symmetrical curved guard and pommel wings above and below. The flange between the wings of the pommel is extended into a finial with another squashed globular knop. Most of the hilt is painted black, 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).

This wonderfully extravagant dagger probably comes from the arsenal at Tanjore (Thanjavur) in south-east India.