Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - How old is the Kora, and from where does it origin?

Jim McDougall · 2nd May 2009, 05:55 PM

Hi Jens,
Excellent reference from this catalogue, and the subject of this weapon, the kora, and its origins will likely remain a subject of considerable debate indefinitely. This reference reinforces the importance of iconographic sources for study on the development of weapons, as architectural carvings and artwork are static, and can be soundly established with the dating of the structure itself as a rule. Certainly this must be qualified with the fact that many temples and such structures were works in progress over periods of time, but at least a reasonable benchmark can be established.

It would seem that the kora, as a weapon, represents more of a concept than specific form, thus its development becomes a matter of perception in many ways rather than distinctly being observed in chronological and geographic lineage, as much as we would like to accomplish that very thing.

As noted, the basic style of the kora is observed in the artwork at the Mukhalingesvara Temple which dates to middle 8th c. AD, and as you have noted, the form seems to have been fully developed by this time.
The basis for the form itself seems to have come from the ancient Greek kopis, which is essentially an edged weapon with forward curved blade for powerful downward stroke, and its origins believed to derive from the even earlier form known as the Egyptian khopesh.

This basic concept has often been assumed to associate the kora, kukri to the Greek kopis via the highly speculated and debated movements of Alexander in these northern regions in the 4th c. BC.

The Greek kopis itself is believed to have likely been derived from a bill hook like implement used in slaughter of animals and cutting meat, much the same as this type implement is used in agriculture related utility with the Nepalese tribes, as well as thier ceremonial use in sacrificial ritual, with the kora.

The heavier weight by widening the end, adds to the force of the downward cut of the concave edge, thus adding dramatically to the effect of this form of implement either as tool or weapon. With that being the case, it is not inconceivable that the concept might have developed independantly, while the subject of the kora in its distinct form is I think more the point of discussion here.

We know that the kora, as such, is widely present not only in Nepal, but congruent regions of Bengal and Orissa. The prevalence of these in Bengal as early as the 17th century is established by provenanced examples in the Royal Danish Kunstkammer and recorded as East India sabres c.1674. It is noted by Elgood in "Hindu Arms and Ritual" that most extant examples of the kora seem to be of 18th-19th c.

The travel and adventure writer Fanny Parkes ("Wanderings of a Pilgrim", London, 1845, Vol. II p.243) refers to the kora as a 'bughalee', as noted in Elgood's glossary. While it may be presumed that as the wife of an EIC official and simply romantically observing esoterica, it is worthy of note that she was apparantly quite familiar with weaponry, as one reference shows;
"...I have a pencil instead of a gun and it affords me satisfaction equal if not greater than the sportsman derives from his Manton". (Vol. II p.191).

Manton= an famous British arms firm in Calcutta who produced shotguns and other weapons.

While some travel writers simply offer vague descriptions of weapons, i.e. curved sword, shotgun etc. she is clearly specific, suggesting considerable veracity in her use of the term bughalee used for the 'kora'.

The forward curved sword type was also well known on the Iberian peninsula as the falcata, and again, the associations between these, the kopis, the machaira and the khopesh are all ancient forms of this concept (though the blade curvature of the machaira deviates). To effectively link all of them or any of them directly to the kora or kukri must remain speculative, but the determination of the kora in form to the 8th century by this evidence seems well placed.

As always, I look foward to the views of others, and this is what I think from what I have understood of previous research and discussions.

All the best,
Jim

2nd May 2009, 05:55 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Hi Jens, Excellent reference from this catalogue, and the subject of this weapon, the kora, and its origins will likely remain a subject of considerable debate indefinitely. This reference reinforces the importance of iconographic sources for study on the development of weapons, as architectural carvings and artwork are static, and can be soundly established with the dating of the structure itself as a rule. Certainly this must be qualified with the fact that many temples and such structures were works in progress over periods of time, but at least a reasonable benchmark can be established. It would seem that the kora, as a weapon, represents more of a concept than specific form, thus its development becomes a matter of perception in many ways rather than distinctly being observed in chronological and geographic lineage, as much as we would like to accomplish that very thing. As noted, the basic style of the kora is observed in the artwork at the Mukhalingesvara Temple which dates to middle 8th c. AD, and as you have noted, the form seems to have been fully developed by this time. The basis for the form itself seems to have come from the ancient Greek kopis, which is essentially an edged weapon with forward curved blade for powerful downward stroke, and its origins believed to derive from the even earlier form known as the Egyptian khopesh. This basic concept has often been assumed to associate the kora, kukri to the Greek kopis via the highly speculated and debated movements of Alexander in these northern regions in the 4th c. BC. The Greek kopis itself is believed to have likely been derived from a bill hook like implement used in slaughter of animals and cutting meat, much the same as this type implement is used in agriculture related utility with the Nepalese tribes, as well as thier ceremonial use in sacrificial ritual, with the kora. The heavier weight by widening the end, adds to the force of the downward cut of the concave edge, thus adding dramatically to the effect of this form of implement either as tool or weapon. With that being the case, it is not inconceivable that the concept might have developed independantly, while the subject of the kora in its distinct form is I think more the point of discussion here. We know that the kora, as such, is widely present not only in Nepal, but congruent regions of Bengal and Orissa. The prevalence of these in Bengal as early as the 17th century is established by provenanced examples in the Royal Danish Kunstkammer and recorded as East India sabres c.1674. It is noted by Elgood in "Hindu Arms and Ritual" that most extant examples of the kora seem to be of 18th-19th c. The travel and adventure writer Fanny Parkes ("Wanderings of a Pilgrim", London, 1845, Vol. II p.243) refers to the kora as a 'bughalee', as noted in Elgood's glossary. While it may be presumed that as the wife of an EIC official and simply romantically observing esoterica, it is worthy of note that she was apparantly quite familiar with weaponry, as one reference shows; "...I have a pencil instead of a gun and it affords me satisfaction equal if not greater than the sportsman derives from his Manton". (Vol. II p.191). Manton= an famous British arms firm in Calcutta who produced shotguns and other weapons. While some travel writers simply offer vague descriptions of weapons, i.e. curved sword, shotgun etc. she is clearly specific, suggesting considerable veracity in her use of the term bughalee used for the 'kora'. The forward curved sword type was also well known on the Iberian peninsula as the falcata, and again, the associations between these, the kopis, the machaira and the khopesh are all ancient forms of this concept (though the blade curvature of the machaira deviates). To effectively link all of them or any of them directly to the kora or kukri must remain speculative, but the determination of the kora in form to the 8th century by this evidence seems well placed. As always, I look foward to the views of others, and this is what I think from what I have understood of previous research and discussions. All the best, Jim