Lew Waldman's Ethnographic Arms & Armour Collection Archive


253 - Northern Indian Wootz (Damascus) Katar (Jamadhar) Dagger with Sheath

The jamadhar ('death tooth'), better known as a katar, is a style of dagger limited to the Indian Subcontinent. This example is typical in having a straight double edged blade abruptly arising from a recurved cross piece dipping in the center into the pronounced midrib of the blade and into an incised trefoil. Hand and wrist guards have been attached parallel to the blade on either side of this base and a grip is formed by a centrally fused pair of cross bars. One of the long guards appears to have been slightly bent inward just beyond the grip. The 9¼ inch (23.7 cm) blade of this example has a very well defined and high central mid rib on each face. Wootz Damascus grain is easily recognized on the flats of a blade also showing scattered mild to moderate pitting, areas of rubbing and evidence of rehoning. The area of the tip is slightly thickened. Overall length is 16¼ inches (41.5 cm) with a weight of 9.3 ounces (265 grams). Lew dated this katar to the 19th century. The dagger is accompanied by a much more recent wooden sheath covered with leather.


Northern Indian Wootz (Damascus) Katar (Jamadhar) Dagger

Northern Indian Wootz (Damascus) Katar (Jamadhar) Dagger

Northern Indian Wootz (Damascus) Katar (Jamadhar) Dagger

Northern Indian Wootz (Damascus) Katar (Jamadhar) Dagger

Northern Indian Wootz (Damascus) Katar (Jamadhar) Dagger



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