Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ian · 26th June 2005, 06:31 PM

Hi Rich:

Kerala is an Indian state on the lower western coast of India. It's most prominent cities are Calicut and Cochin, which have been prominent trading ports with the Middle East and Africa for at least 2 millennia.

Southwestern India is culturally an old part of the world. In the 14th and 15th C. it was a major trade center, interesecting between Chinese trade from the east and Muslim trade to the west. Calicut was one of the prime hubs for this multinational trade.

There has been a prominent Muslim population in Kerala since the very early years of Islam, and it is one of the most secular parts of India which is a country long tolerant of many different religious beliefs.

While the State of Kerala is presently one of the poorest in India, it has had a socialist government for many years and provides high levels of education and social services to its people. The health of the Kerala population overall is among the highest of any group in India.

Kerala also has a reputation of valuing education very highly. It is perhaps less belligerent than more northern areas of India. and inter-racial tensions are lower.

The edged weapons of Kerala have been influenced by the Moplah (the original term for Muslims living along the Malabar Coast), the Nias (describing the Hindus in this area), and other local groups such as the Coorg who live to the north in Karnataka and the Tamils to the east. Christians and other groups are represented sporadically in the area, notably the Syrian Coptics.

The "Kerala knife" is a style such as shown above, with a wide, dropped point, spear-shaped blade, a T-spine, and a sheath of similar shape that encloses more than half of the hilt. Hilts vary in style but arise from the back of the blade and there is usually a small bolster.

Artzi Yarom had pictures of another nice example on his site, but I can't see them now. Perhaps he might post those here so that we can see some of the variation in styles of these knives, which are quite uncommon.

BTW, I forgot to mention that the one pictured above is a deaccessed museum piece, but I can't read the old inscription or number on the back of the scabbard -- faded too much with age and discoloration of the paper.

Ian.

26th June 2005, 06:31 PM	#3
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,360	Hi Rich: Kerala is an Indian state on the lower western coast of India. It's most prominent cities are Calicut and Cochin, which have been prominent trading ports with the Middle East and Africa for at least 2 millennia. Southwestern India is culturally an old part of the world. In the 14th and 15th C. it was a major trade center, interesecting between Chinese trade from the east and Muslim trade to the west. Calicut was one of the prime hubs for this multinational trade. There has been a prominent Muslim population in Kerala since the very early years of Islam, and it is one of the most secular parts of India which is a country long tolerant of many different religious beliefs. While the State of Kerala is presently one of the poorest in India, it has had a socialist government for many years and provides high levels of education and social services to its people. The health of the Kerala population overall is among the highest of any group in India. Kerala also has a reputation of valuing education very highly. It is perhaps less belligerent than more northern areas of India. and inter-racial tensions are lower. The edged weapons of Kerala have been influenced by the Moplah (the original term for Muslims living along the Malabar Coast), the Nias (describing the Hindus in this area), and other local groups such as the Coorg who live to the north in Karnataka and the Tamils to the east. Christians and other groups are represented sporadically in the area, notably the Syrian Coptics. The "Kerala knife" is a style such as shown above, with a wide, dropped point, spear-shaped blade, a T-spine, and a sheath of similar shape that encloses more than half of the hilt. Hilts vary in style but arise from the back of the blade and there is usually a small bolster. Artzi Yarom had pictures of another nice example on his site, but I can't see them now. Perhaps he might post those here so that we can see some of the variation in styles of these knives, which are quite uncommon. BTW, I forgot to mention that the one pictured above is a deaccessed museum piece, but I can't read the old inscription or number on the back of the scabbard -- faded too much with age and discoloration of the paper. Ian.