Comparison of Decorations on Arms and non-Arms Objects

Jens Nordlunde · 1st October 2009, 03:51 PM

I think this thread belongs here as well, so before it gets lost - here it is http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...light=Salumbar
G. N. Pant's name is mentioned now and again, but although I have some of his books, I am not too happy to quote him. The reason for this is, that he, too often writes a name of a hilt, like 'Udaipur hilt', but he does not explain why he thinks it is from Udaipur. The use of this diamond shaped hilt was widely spread, but although he had access to all the armouries due to his job, he does not even give a hint, so you either have to believe what he writes, or put a question mark.

Jens Nordlunde · 16th December 2009, 07:47 PM

Like I said, on this thread the information’s will be dripping in. Sometimes there will be long between the ‘drippings’ and sometimes not so long, but I feel sure that we will gather important information’s.

The zigzag design was used all over India, like it was in many other countries – through many centuries, but sometimes you find something, wich combines the designs, and I think I have found this in Deccan.

Zebrowski, Mark: Gold, Silver and Bronze from Mughal India. Alexandria Press, London 1997. Shows a plate from the 17th century, and on the hilt of my tulwar the same design is shown. Zebrowski does not only say it is from Deccan, he also says it is from Bidar – the hart of Bidri ware. The hilt is not bidri, but it has the same design, so it is likely to come from the same district.

I don’t think the hilt is 17th century, maybe rather 18th century, but the design is the same.

ALEX · 18th December 2009, 07:51 PM

This is very interesting, Jens
The zigzag is a common Indian pattern indeed. It is also called Chevron pattern. There are vast examples of Chevron pattern including textiles, tiles, architecture, metalwork... in a variety of cultures: Persian, Ottoman, etc. Note the famous Indian Chevron pattern-weld pattern, for example. Presumably, it is a symbol of water, stemming from the double chevron hieroglyph of the old Egyptian civilization!
Here is another sample of Chevron/Zigzag decorations on Indian fittings, I think of late 19th Century:

16th December 2009, 07:47 PM	#2
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Like I said, on this thread the information’s will be dripping in. Sometimes there will be long between the ‘drippings’ and sometimes not so long, but I feel sure that we will gather important information’s. The zigzag design was used all over India, like it was in many other countries – through many centuries, but sometimes you find something, wich combines the designs, and I think I have found this in Deccan. Zebrowski, Mark: Gold, Silver and Bronze from Mughal India. Alexandria Press, London 1997. Shows a plate from the 17th century, and on the hilt of my tulwar the same design is shown. Zebrowski does not only say it is from Deccan, he also says it is from Bidar – the hart of Bidri ware. The hilt is not bidri, but it has the same design, so it is likely to come from the same district. I don’t think the hilt is 17th century, maybe rather 18th century, but the design is the same. Attached Images

18th December 2009, 07:51 PM	#3
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	This is very interesting, Jens The zigzag is a common Indian pattern indeed. It is also called Chevron pattern. There are vast examples of Chevron pattern including textiles, tiles, architecture, metalwork... in a variety of cultures: Persian, Ottoman, etc. Note the famous Indian Chevron pattern-weld pattern, for example. Presumably, it is a symbol of water, stemming from the double chevron hieroglyph of the old Egyptian civilization! Here is another sample of Chevron/Zigzag decorations on Indian fittings, I think of late 19th Century: Attached Images

1st October 2009, 03:51 PM	#1
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	I think this thread belongs here as well, so before it gets lost - here it is http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...light=Salumbar G. N. Pant's name is mentioned now and again, but although I have some of his books, I am not too happy to quote him. The reason for this is, that he, too often writes a name of a hilt, like 'Udaipur hilt', but he does not explain why he thinks it is from Udaipur. The use of this diamond shaped hilt was widely spread, but although he had access to all the armouries due to his job, he does not even give a hint, so you either have to believe what he writes, or put a question mark.