The so-called " cobra swords"

[Jens Nordlunde]

Ariel,
What shall I say? The best answer is, I dont know. I have seen these swords in pictures, and the one on exhibition in Copenhagen, at The David Collection in 1982, but I have never researched these swords, as I have never owned one.


Quote. That would suggest that Rajput " kings" who moved to Himachal Pradesh just made their swords look more local and the term " Indo-Afghani swords" might be a misnomer. Unquote.


Which time era do you refer to?

[mariusgmioc]

Very interesting topic!

What strikes me at these swords is the unmistakenly Indian construction of the blade (with chiseled central ridge and reinforced edges).

[ariel]

Marius,
You are absolutely correct: the blades are unmistakeably S. Indian.
This strengthens the argument that the handles were a later modification.
So, should we stop calling them Indo-Afghani?
Probably not: the modifications on many of them were of Afghani styles. By the same logic, Persian and purely Indian blades are in fact “( Something)- Afghani”, we just need to look separately on different components of a given sword.
I may show some swords that, in my estimation are purely Afghani based on both handle and blade.

Handles are simple: pulwar-like are unmistakeable.

Can we start describing features of a genuinely Afghani blade?

Let’s open the floodgates! Go on!

[ariel]

Jens,

Rajputs started emigrating to the peri - Himalayan hills around 12 century. This process became more and more active by the 16-17 century when a Gurkha kingdom was established.
I think the Afghani pulwar fully matured from the Deccani/ N. Indian cup-like form into a full “ pulwar one” not earlier than 17-18 century.
If we combine the calendars, my guess the “ Indian-Afghani” swords came into existence not earlier than that.

Just a guess.

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by ariel

I may show some swords that, in my estimation are purely Afghani based on both handle and blade.
Let’s open the floodgates! Go on!

Buttin mentionned one and called it Afghan short sword...
I believe in statistics when you have many cobra swords with Afghan hilts well...

[ariel]

It is very easy to attach a word “Afghani” to a bladed weapon when it has typical “pulwar” handle.

But if Elgood is right and there was a “ marriage of convenience” we may need to sit down and start thinking anew.
Look at the series of pics shown by me: there are examples of Tulwar handle, modified basket handle ( Deccan?), unquestionable Pulwar and a modified Pulwar with downturned quillons but with an original S. Indian pommel.

With this variety of handles how certain are we in our blanket definition as “ Indo-Afghani”?

[mariusgmioc]

What is this?
Is it a Nepalese kukri?
Is it an Indian tulwar?
Is it Nepalo-Indian?
Is it Indo-Nepalese?
I simply believe it is a "kukri with a tulwar hilt."
Simple and clear.
And the same logic applies for the "cobra swords" in question.

[kronckew]

It is indeed a "khukuri with a tulwar hilt". It has a cho (aka kaudi).

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

What is this?
Is it a Nepalese kukri?
Is it an Indian tulwar?
Is it Nepalo-Indian?
Is it Indo-Nepalese?
I simply believe it is a "kukri with a tulwar hilt."
Simple and clear.
And the same logic applies for the "cobra swords" in question.

VERY well noted Marius!
The 'name game' has been played for literally decades here in attempts to neatly pigeon hole and concisely categorize weapons which are obviously hybrids of influences and forms. In many if not most cases these are often related to similar uses in published material using 'collectors' terms from early accounts describing weapons, which in turn resulted from various transliterations and misunderstandings of local colloquial terms.

In the very theme of this discussion, the 'cobra' term applied to the distinctive enlarged forte at the root of these blades is a 'western' appellation suggesting a nagan symbolism in the sword type.

We know however that the typically disc shape is most probably representing the chakra, and these originate in the Hindu Pantheon with symbolism regarding Vishnu. That this symbolic feature is just that, and has no pragmatic purpose in the blade function can be seen for example with the khanda pictured with undulating blade and the 'chakra' toward the tip of the serrated blade.

In this case, it might be argued that the position in this case would serve as a weight to add impetus to a slashing blow, such as with the yelman on sabers, but the strong symbolic nature of the feature seems otherwise paramount.

The fact that there was considerable Afghan influence in the Deccan which led to the considerable cultural exchanges between these disparate regions can be explained by the Pathan communities such as Kurnool, Cuddapah and Savanur situated in Deccani areas.
It has often been suggested that the elements of the paluoar hilt are from Deccani influences, but that too is of course contested despite the compelling similarities in comparisons.

The blades on these 'cobra' swords are also a talking point here beyond the 'chakra', with the deeply chiseled channels often seen. Look at the blades on the Afghan military swords of latter 19th c. which have what seems similar deep channels recalling 'atavistically' early Vijayanagara blades.
The hilts of course are interestingly combined features of what recalls British military bayonets in styling, combined with the 'swan neck' type hilts of many northwest guards on tulwars . These open piercing of the bars on the knuckleguard are also seen on paluoar hilts in many cases.

Also the image of the addorsed zoomorphic figures hilt is of course the same as on one of these 'cobra swords'.

Of course hilts and blades were remounted often incongruently as blades were typically mounted with locally favored hilts. So then how do we regard a 'blade' such as this apparently Hindu styled one, fashioned with an Afghan style hilt (paluoar) and situated in Deccani regions?

Do we regard it as a Deccani sword? after all the paluoar is thought to have Deccani origins or is it Afghan, as these hilts are typically regarded as prolifically present in Afghanistan?

In my thinking, the use of descriptive terms is more useful in classification of a weapon, than catchy ethnic hyphenation or arbitrary classification which mat be misleading, and 'collectors terms' should be footnotes. For the sake of discussions however, the use of well worn collectors terms is of course probably most prudent.

[Jens Nordlunde]

Marius is right, this is the only way to describe it, and this goes for a number of other weapons as well.


Ariel, the first sword you show seem to have a lotus decoration on the hilt, and the lines would represent water. The strange thing is, that the pommmeel also seem to be a lotus flower together with the missing quillons- this I have never seen such a pommel before.


Jim, I just read your post and yes, we have had this name game several times, but we never seem to learn:-(.
You write "Afghan influence in the Deccan", but it could also have been Deccan influence in Afghanistan. See one of Ariel's latest posts.
In Robert's book Hindu Arms and Ritual he shows a sword from Vijayanagara from the 15th century with a chakra (chapter 11), so this sword type is very old, although later the hilts were often replaced.

[Helleri]

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

What is this?
Is it a Nepalese kukri?
Is it an Indian tulwar?
Is it Nepalo-Indian?
Is it Indo-Nepalese?
I simply believe it is a "kukri with a tulwar hilt."
Simple and clear.
And the same logic applies for the "cobra swords" in question.

I'm just going to call that a Kukwar, lol.