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Old 24th December 2019, 03:21 PM   #8
ariel
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
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Kai,
I really do not know what are the specific signs of the lost wax casting I should be looking for:-(( But it was cast, no doubt, very basic work, kind of “ village level”.

Generally, the ends of downturned quillons on Afghani/Persian hilts are associated with dragons.
The blade is hard. Also, look at the second pic( handle with intact langet): there is a small part of the edge that “crumbled out” after some mechanical stress( a blow?). Thus, the steel is quite brittle, and that was yet another hint of the wootz nature of the blade.

The “open cup” design was first shown among the mid- 16 century illustrations for Hamzanama commissioned by Akbar. It was indeed considered extinct , but for the only surviving example belonging to Brian Isaac and illustrated by Elgood in his “Hindu” book. It indeed looks just like Piso Podang. However, similar idea was preserved in NW India, albeit with more shallow cups. The example from Jens’ collection ( see above), also from brass ( correct pages 321-323, sorry for the earlier mistake) is one of them, and I have several simpler ones. They are difficult to differentiate from the Afghani, but the close connections between the two areas are well known.

And yes, it is old. The broken langet was fixed for continuous use and the grip of the hilt is polished bright by the hand(s) of the owner(s). Even incised decorations on the grip are almost completely extinct, with only bits and pieces left over.

Last edited by ariel; 24th December 2019 at 07:40 PM.
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