MAHOUTS DAGGERS FOR COMMENT

Jim McDougall · 22nd July 2015, 11:14 PM

These are really fascinating! and I must say I had not heard of these 'daggers' before, though obviously we are usually familiar with the ankus, the goads used by these mahouts which are well covered in Elgood's "Hindu Arms & Ritual".

One very esoteric facet of the mahouts and elephants would be the rather bizarre 'tusk swords' mounted on many of these elephants with their combat trappings. These are much debated and few examples or records exist, but seem to go well with these in the little discussed topic of elephants use in Indian warfare.

22nd July 2015, 11:14 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	These are really fascinating! and I must say I had not heard of these 'daggers' before, though obviously we are usually familiar with the ankus, the goads used by these mahouts which are well covered in Elgood's "Hindu Arms & Ritual". One very esoteric facet of the mahouts and elephants would be the rather bizarre 'tusk swords' mounted on many of these elephants with their combat trappings. These are much debated and few examples or records exist, but seem to go well with these in the little discussed topic of elephants use in Indian warfare.