Bhelhetah

[Jens Nordlunde]

You are very welcome :-).
Yes you are right, the Indian weapons are the most important to discuss :-).
From the drawing in Egerton it is hard to say if it is a wooden or a steel 'sword'. However, had it been a wooden one, I feel sure that he would have mentioned it - as he speaks about weapons - and not training weapons.
The second picture you show is a strange one. Egerton calls it a sword, but it seems to have a round 'blade' - more like a kind of maze.
I will have a look what I can find in my books.
Jens

[Jens Nordlunde]

I have been looking in my books but not found any other Bhelhetahs.
The hilt shown in Egerton's book, and the hilt on the one you show from the museum in Kota seems to be the same. Egerton does, however, write that it is a sword, and I cant imagine he would write so if the 'blade' was like a haft.
I cant explain this to you, and I have never seen such a weapon. Let's hope some of the members can help.
Jens

[Mercenary]

Many thanks.
Meanwhile I have translated "bhelhetah" as far as I can and I can explain that the blade of this "sword" is for stab as the koncerz (estoc)... And in the photo it is clearly seen.

[Jens Nordlunde]

It starts to get quite interesting.
The one which you saw in Kota - what would you say the measurers were?
I have a funny idea of what it could be - but every time I think of it I dismiss it.
About forty years ago I was in Istanbul at the army museum, and saw a special sword, but if these kind of swords were used at Akbar's time in India is more than questionalable.
Jens

[Jens Nordlunde]

For a moment I thought it could be a weapon like the attached on, which also have a round 'blade', but a very pointed tip.
It was used for stapping enemies laying on the ground, and is supposed to be able to penetrade mail armour.
The bhelhetah has a much shorter 'blade', and I dont know what kind of weapon it is.
The attached picture is from Anthony C. Tirri's book Islamic Weapons. Maghrib to Moghul.