Identifier: handbooktoethnog00brit (find matches)
Title: Handbook to the ethnographical collections
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: British Museum. Dept. of British and Mediaeval Antiquities and Ethnography Joyce, Thomas Athol, 1878-1942 Dalton, O. M. (Ormonde Maddock), 1866-1945
Subjects:
Publisher: (London) : Printed by order of the Trustees
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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). Dated 1625-6. Fig. 39 d illustrates the formidable Khyber knife used by Afghansand l)y the neighbouring tril^es of the North-West Frontier. The sword in fig. 39 a is a typical Turkish yataghan. Fig. 41 arepresents the Sinhalese sword (Ceylon). Of the dnggers, figs.39 h and m are Persian, with hilts of typical forms, often ofcarved ivory or of brilliantly enamelled metal, while the bladesare finely damascened. Circassian daggers (fig 39^j) have some ORIENTAL ARMS AND ARMOUR 47 resemblance to the Persian types. Fig. 39 e represents a commonform of straight Indian dagger; the point has in this case beenthickened, to penetrate chain-mail. Fig. 39 r is a curvedIndian dagger. Fig. 391 has a blade of Arab type, but comesfrom Cutch, of which place the gilt metal-work on the hilt ischaracteristic. Fig. 39/« is a thrusting-dagger (jaindhar) ofa shape peculiar to India. Fig. 39 o, also peculiar to India,is called bichwa, or scorpions sting ; it is a secret weapon kept a h c (I e f (I h /.•
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2) I m r s t 0 Fig. SJ.—Various oriental arms, to which reference is made in the text, concealed up the sleeve, and was often used in treacherous attacksin conjunction with the hdffhnak or tigers claws (fig. 39^),which was worn on the fingers and used to eviscerate an enemy.Both these weapons are said to have been employed by theMahratta King Sivaji on a historical occasion. Fig 39 s is the national dagger of the Kafirs of the Hindu Kush,an isolated mountain tribe apparently retaining in its art remoteGreek influences which may d;ite from Hellenistic times. Of other weapons, sjjcars were in general use; they nearlyalways had leaf-shaped iron heads with sockets. 48 ASIA Battle-axes were widely distributed in Persia and India. Thewedge-shaped axe (fig. iO m) is the commonest form. Fig. 40 n isa type of battle-axe or crow-bill common in Cutch : it usually hasa thin stiletto screwed into the end of the shaft. Of maces (fig. 40/) the type with six flanges or wings (Shnskhnr)occurs both i

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