Indian axe

[colin henshaw]

Hi

I acquired this Indian axe recently, and would like to ask if someone can tell me about it please, such as... age range, area in India from where it originated, use (from horseback ?), etc.

Any other comments or information about the axe are welcome.

Thanks in advance.

[colin henshaw]

Any information/comments on this axe ? India specialists....

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

Any information/comments on this axe ? India specialists....

Colin, I looked through my images of Indian axe and found one that was almost identical (maybe it is yours!), from a Christies auction, 2007, it is described as being "Northern" here is a link. I have only seen a couple of Indian axes with a rear spike. Unfortunately I can not add any other information.
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/a...3-details.aspx

A BULLOVA AXE AND A BATTLEAXE, NORTHERN INDIA, 18TH/19TH CENTURY

The first with crescent shaped steel blade, scalloped and pierced back segment, on a wooden shaft with ivory end - 27in (68.5cm) long; the second with incised lunar-shaped blade on a wooden shaft - 28 1/4in (71.6cm) long.

[colin henshaw]

Hi estcrh

Thanks for your post. What a surprise...it looks like the same piece. Interesting how objects can go round in circles. So, Northern India then, and 18/19th century.

Regards.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

Hi estcrh

Thanks for your post. What a surprise...it looks like the same piece. Interesting how objects can go round in circles. So, Northern India then, and 18/19th century.

Regards.

I was a little surprised myself, small world. Your axe is one of only a few examples I know of with a rear facing spike, as for auction house descriptions, they range from very accurate to completely wrong so you have some info to work with but it would be nice to find some other verification. I would not think that this axe was meant for use on horseback as it has no hole in the shaft for a lanyard and the butt of the shaft has no raised area to tie a lanyard around.

[colin henshaw]

Originally Posted by estcrh

I was a little surprised myself, small world. Your axe is one of only a few examples I know of with a rear facing spike, as for auction house descriptions, they range from very accurate to completely wrong so you have some info to work with but it would be nice to find some other verification. I would not think that this axe was meant for use on horseback as it has no hole in the shaft for a lanyard and the butt of the shaft has no raised area to tie a lanyard around.

Good point about the lack of a fixing area for a lanyard. The axe is quite sturdy and heavy, and there is an iron plate extending down the middle of the shaft from the axehead. Feels and looks more like a "user" than a parade item. Presumably the spike at the back of the axehead would be for piercing a metal helmet ?

Any other information on this axe is welcome.

[Jim McDougall]

This intriguing axe shown by Colin has had me struggling for days through notes etc. as this curious motif is so familiar, yet as I found, so elusive.
There are interesting clues however in the entry with similar (perhaps exact) item shown in the vague Christies description.

While the term battle axe is used (another term about as useful as descriptions using northern, southern etc without qualification) it seems the implication is that this is an Indian 'tabar', which it is not.
The Tabar was a larger and heavier axe, a much more conservative blade (not 'lunar' as cleverly noted for 'crescent') and a blunt poll at the back of the head. It was its smaller cousin, the tabarzin, which was a saddle axe of same shape only smaller.

What has been most telling is the Christies entry, which shows the example of this type axe along with a bullova. The bullova is a much varied in form axe, used by tribal groups in the Chota Nagpur plateau in Central India.
The most commonly seen form of head on these is the 'moustach' shape, though other variations are often profound.
What is key is the motif found on many of these 'bullova' axes, in particular the wavy lines with dots in each wave, as well as other linear geometric type accents. The curious bird image is also something seen in motif with many weapons often seen in places from Madurai, and into central eastern regions as noted, and of course farther north in cases.

The same type stippled dot linear motif profiling certain devices, triangular shapes etc is seen on what appears to be a variation of bullova (the traces of red paint as often seen still remaining) which has an almost bell shaped head. This shape is familiar as a Nagan form of dao from Assam in the north. Again, the curiously incised designs prevail, though the blade shape is clearly borrowed.

I think this axe is probably fashioned in central regions surrounding Chota Nagpur, and borrowing from the notions of a 'battle axe' of forms using the crescent head primarily parade or ceremonial style in other parts of India. The examples of these with double crescent axe heads are known in courtly settings seemingly for dramatic effect .

Naturally with this 'interpretive' example the spike at the rear is in my opinion added for effect in that sense, as most of these axes for combat had blunt or hammer type features which were indeed for compromising armor. The spike would probably become lodged in mail or armor, and the smashing of armor in the case of plate would render its occupant unable to move effectively etc.

The exception would be the bhuj, essentially a dagger axe which was indeed for penetration, particularly through textile armor or turbans. These were primarily Rajput though used by other groups.

As I was once told by a much respected author on ethnographic arms, "I dislike geographic boundaries! red lines on maps"...weapons have no geographic boundaries!
Obviously then, this axe, while reflecting key motif often seen on the bullova form in Central India and environs, also is made in an interpretive form reflecting both known types in other regions and spheres with added feature for effect . The caveat would be that it could as well have been produced in regions from virtually south to extreme north in eastern India, again using these terms to illustrate the encompassing vagueness unless including cultural groups or specific principalities

Another well seasoned collector once told me years ago, that virtually none of the various 'battle axes' he had ever examined had been sharpened, a most telling factor in determining their actual purpose . Also, various references noted that the crescent shape head was not a favored type for actual combat.

Also, I am curious about lanyards on these, most examples I have looked into do not have such a feature, and I would like to know of examples that do.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

This intriguing axe shown by Colin has had me struggling for days through notes etc. as this curious motif is so familiar, yet as I found, so elusive.
There are interesting clues however in the entry with similar (perhaps exact) item shown in the vague Christies description.

While the term battle axe is used (another term about as useful as descriptions using northern, southern etc without qualification) it seems the implication is that this is an Indian 'tabar', which it is not.
The Tabar was a larger and heavier axe, a much more conservative blade (not 'lunar' as cleverly noted for 'crescent') and a blunt poll at the back of the head. It was its smaller cousin, the tabarzin, which was a saddle axe of same shape only smaller.

Depending on the source "tabar" simply means "axe", Egerton in "Indian and Oriental Arms and Armour" uses tabar to describe crescent, hoe, triangular, long curved, forked and short curved axe heads.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Another well seasoned collector once told me years ago, that virtually none of the various 'battle axes' he had ever examined had been sharpened, a most telling factor in determining their actual purpose . Also, various references noted that the crescent shape head was not a favored type for actual combat.

Also, I am curious about lanyards on these, most examples I have looked into do not have such a feature, and I would like to know of examples that do.

Here are a couple of crescent shaped axe with loops for a lanyard, besides an obvious hole in the shaft or a loop at the end of the shaft you have to look for an enlarged butt that a lanyard could be tied around, some axe have a completely straight shaft with no means of attachment for a lanyard, these were obviously not meant to hang from a saddle, Collin's axe seems to be of this type.

The last image is what would be I consider to be a real "battle axe" / "tabar-zin", not dull, it has a lanyard loop, not overly elaborate.

#1. Persian axe.
#2. Persian axe.
#3. Persian axe, shaft end.
#4. Indian axe, shaft end, (Colins).
#5. Indian axe.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Naturally with this 'interpretive' example the spike at the rear is in my opinion added for effect in that sense, as most of these axes for combat had blunt or hammer type features which were indeed for compromising armor. The spike would probably become lodged in mail or armor, and the smashing of armor in the case of plate would render its occupant unable to move effectively etc.

The exception would be the bhuj, essentially a dagger axe which was indeed for penetration, particularly through textile armor or turbans. These were primarily Rajput though used by other groups.

While images of spiked axe are rare there are a few, also I think that zaghnal and war hammers often had more of a spiked, penetrating form than the bhuj.

Here are a couple of spiked axe, tabar-zaghnal, double spiked zaghnal, Ottoman war hammer and bhuj for comparison.

#1. Ottoman axe with rear spike.
#2. Indian axe with rear spike.
#3. Indian antelope axe with rear spike, Furusiyya Art Collection.
#4. Zaghnal, double bladed, The Wallace Collection.
#5. Ottoman war hammer.
#6. Indian bhuj.
#7. Indian tabar / zaghnal.

[colin henshaw]

Thanks to those forumites who took an interest in this axe, and particularly to Jim for his extensive research on the subject.

Nothing I can add, except to mention that the axe blade has an edge and shows some signs of previous sharpening.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

Thanks to those forumites who took an interest in this axe, and particularly to Jim for his extensive research on the subject.

Nothing I can add, except to mention that the axe blade has an edge and shows some signs of previous sharpening.

Colin, I would like the thank you so much for the very kind acknowledgement of my efforts on this axe You are a true gentleman, Sir.
I also appreciate the opportunity offered by your posting of your fascinating example. I honestly had not realized how little exposure I really have had to this particular weapon form so I learned a lot!

With very best regards,
Jim

[Emanuel]

Hello

VBulletin code has built-in HTML tags that can place an attached image inline with text using the [attach] tag.

Whenever an image or file is attached to a post, it is given an attachment id (ex. 126345). The poster would upload the file, and then simply write Attachment 126345 in the text wherever the image is needed. This would move the attachment from the bottom of the post to wherever the tag is written.

This option is not available in this forum's code list.

Perhaps moderators can look into activating this code.

Emanuel

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Emanuel

Hello

VBulletin code has built-in HTML tags that can place an attached image inline with text using the [attach] tag.

Whenever an image or file is attached to a post, it is given an attachment id (ex. 126345). The poster would upload the file, and then simply write Attachment 126345 in the text wherever the image is needed. This would move the attachment from the bottom of the post to wherever the tag is written.

This option is not available in this forum's code list.

Perhaps moderators can look into activating this code.

Emanuel

Emanual thanks for this, it may solve the problem I am having with images.

[kronckew]

the admin will have to do that, if it is possible in vbulletin 3.0.3. it may be version dependent, tho i'm not sure.

i'm a super-moderator on another (unrelated) forum & we're not allowed to do that as mods, but i have limited admin rights and can login as an admin & activate in-line full sized attachments in the posting options. we use v4.2 that does allow the [attach] bbcode and uses a newer attachment manager and it works nicely. vbulletin is up to v5 now...but it's upgrade is costly.