Kharga, sacrificial kora,...or what?

shayde78 · 21st January 2018, 03:43 AM

Well, I've been looking for a kora in my price range for a while, now. Finally stumbled upon this piece for less than feeding a family of four at McDonalds. It is not the form of kora I have been seeking, and until seeing this, I didn't know such hilts were mounted with these blades.

I found two such examples on this forum; one in the swap forum (which I'm not sure I'm allowed to link to here), and another in posts 3 and 11 on thisthread where it is labeled a 'sacrificial kora'. Indeed, the guard being rather thin, I'd rather confront a sheep than an armed combatant with this thing.

The proportions are hard to convey in the images, but this is massive! It weighs 4 pounds (I actually weighed it, so this is not an estimate). It is over 32 inches in total length. The hilt is large enough for me to fit a two handed grip without it being tight (and my hands are not small). Overall, better suited for swinging at animals than lugging into battle. That said, I read somewhere that kora were intended for use during defense of fortifications. As such, even a heavy weapon could have been effective against scaling equipment, and such. All said, I wouldn't want it swung in my direction, nor would I want to be encumbered by it against more nimble foes.

So, what insights can be offered? Is this an authentic piece? Any guesses on time period? Could it be a massive hunk of wootz? Is it properly called a kharga? Can I cross kora off my list, or is this another class of weapon altogether?

As always, I appreciate the generosity of your knowledge.

-Rob

21st January 2018, 03:43 AM	#1
shayde78 Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 445	Kharga, sacrificial kora,...or what? Well, I've been looking for a kora in my price range for a while, now. Finally stumbled upon this piece for less than feeding a family of four at McDonalds. It is not the form of kora I have been seeking, and until seeing this, I didn't know such hilts were mounted with these blades. I found two such examples on this forum; one in the swap forum (which I'm not sure I'm allowed to link to here), and another in posts 3 and 11 on thisthread where it is labeled a 'sacrificial kora'. Indeed, the guard being rather thin, I'd rather confront a sheep than an armed combatant with this thing. The proportions are hard to convey in the images, but this is massive! It weighs 4 pounds (I actually weighed it, so this is not an estimate). It is over 32 inches in total length. The hilt is large enough for me to fit a two handed grip without it being tight (and my hands are not small). Overall, better suited for swinging at animals than lugging into battle. That said, I read somewhere that kora were intended for use during defense of fortifications. As such, even a heavy weapon could have been effective against scaling equipment, and such. All said, I wouldn't want it swung in my direction, nor would I want to be encumbered by it against more nimble foes. So, what insights can be offered? Is this an authentic piece? Any guesses on time period? Could it be a massive hunk of wootz? Is it properly called a kharga? Can I cross kora off my list, or is this another class of weapon altogether? As always, I appreciate the generosity of your knowledge. -Rob Attached Images