Very Early Scottish broadsword blade in Indian PATA

[Jim McDougall]

Another soliloquy on weapons and their history.

This old PATA from India I have had for over 40 years, and with its strange hilt apparently mounted on a very old broadsword blade, I just presumed it was a traditional or decorative example, with what for all intents and purposes seemed to be a European kaskara blade.

In my quest to go though old weapons and notes, it is as if lights are going on as I discover incredible facts about these silent old icons of the past.

With this, and the help of knowledgeable members here, who kindly shared information, I was awakened to remarkable things about this weapon,which too many self proclaimed 'experts' would toss off as 'tourist souvenir' .
This is a common problem with those who do not search into actual history in accord with the weapons being examined. Often there is far more to the examples than superficially apparent.

This pata, as now seen, appears to have been a weapon used likely in ceremonial or ritual properties by what is known in Hindu tradition as the Cult of Garuda. In the South Indian kingdom of Hoysala, the traditions of the bravest warriors were the GARUDA warriors. In the Hindu pantheon, the Garuda served Vishnu and in the same manner these warriors served the king.
So the figure represented in the gauntlet hilt is in one of these reprentations.

In the mid 18th century, the British were already occupying regions in Bengal and others, by 1799, the Battle of Seringpatam in Mysore established Great Britain in the Deccan with the defeat of Tipu Sultan. The East India Co. had become the administrative and trade force largely backed by British government forces nominally controlling Native military units.

The presence of British military and East India Co. units often had strong Highland presence in certain regiments with Scottish origins, brought a notable degree of Scottish weaponry of course.

As indicated earlier, the character of this blade I had always simply shrugged off as likely a kaskara blade...never considering , why in the world would a kaskara blade be in India? and certainly no way would a pata be in the Sudan. Admittedly I would have been a terrible detective!

But then the lights went on!!!
This blade is EXTREMELY old, even prior to the incursions of these German blades into North Africa, and now I realize, with the familiar astral symbols, sun, moon etc in the European manner.......this is compellingly likely to be an old SCOTTISH broadsword blade.
The Indians had a profoundly high regard for German blades (they hated English ones) and the Garuda also esteemed battle venerated old blades.

This blade might well have gotten into the hands of these Indian warriors through various means, whichever it might be, it falls into 'trophy' category. It might have been from a basket hilt taken in battle or from the field.
Whatever the case, the blade has seen extensive use......the rugged, wavy edges are from field sharpening with stones. Ultimately, the blade reached its honorary status in the dress of the traditional pata hilt and Garuda cult it would seem.

Every weapon has a story. They are the sentinels of history.
This is why I study them,
It might take years, but I hope to reach the answers while I can.

This is the reason for my loquacious soliloquys here, which are meant to share what I have found.......for those few who will take up the gauntlet in the next generation of arms history researchers. Everyone who collects follows their own likes and perspectives, but the history dynamic always adds to the deeper appreciation of the weapons, so in sharing, we all benefit.

I will try to get better pics of the blade soon. The hilt seems to be made of the kind of sheet metal alloy used in SE Asian items of material culture in the 19th c.

[urbanspaceman]

Do you know that those words were never actually spoken in any of the novels!
Elementary... yes. My Dear Watson... yes. But never together.
Anyway, with the absolutely utmost modesty I must confess to immediately jumping to the correct conclusion regarding the presence of the blade in that hilt. Of course, you have been a good teacher, so you've only yourself to blame.
Do you think this is 17th Century? I wonder if Andrea Ferrara is under that patina?
Sorry Jim, I missed an eL

[Jim McDougall]

LOL! Thank you Keith!
I truly am often amazed at how many things have gone right past me!
Then suddenly?....uh four decades later!!! bonk!

This was not an ANDREA FERARA blade, those were fullered differently and typically might have the sickle marks or quadrant dots or X's but never the cosmology.

This blade I think was likely 17th century, perhaps second half, and these kinds of German blades did make it to Germany. I recently found detail noting that in India the German blades were preferred vs. English, which they saw as useless for poor quality.

[Jim McDougall]

More to the soliloquy here,
Found a good reference, "The Tiger and the Thistle" about the Scots in India and Tipu Sultan.
I'll keep everyone posted when it arrives! The games afoot Watson!

[Jim McDougall]

According to some input on the other forum, this hilt with what appears some sort of representation of a lionhead? in the stylizing characteristic of much Indian art, and is believed to be associated with GARUDA, and the warrior cult of that Vishnu faction of the Hindu Faith and deities.

While the use of the pata (actually termed dandpatta) was well known in the martial traditions of the Mahrattas and demonstrations of sword skills known as mardani khel (dual use of these in almost windmill like gyrations), the use of them similarly in ceremonial functions extends into the southern regions as well.

It appears this gauntlet in this iconographic form may be associated with the Garuda cult and celebration of the ancient Hoysala warriors of the regions that became the Vijayanagara Empire.

The character of the hilt seems to be of sheet type alloy metal resembling that used in material culture in SE Asian contexts in Victorian times.

What is most interesting is this well venerated old broadsword blade, which appears of 17th century and the fullering corresponds to various known examples found in early Highland basket hilts. While the upper part of the blade is concealed by the riveted bolster, close examination reveals traces of the kinds of cosmological motif seen on blades of mid 17th century. We would expect to find flutes at the forte on either side of the dual central fullers.

It is tempting to presume that this blade, undoubtedly of the type made in Solingen for export to Scotland for their broadswords, might have come from the many Scots who went to India in the mid 18th century. After the disaster of the '45 at Culloden, many Scots found their way to India and the Americas, with numbers to East India Co. as well as many in the British Highland regiments. It must be remembered that not all Scots were Jacobites and were already aligned with Hanoverian rule. However, the character of this blade would be likely more Jacobite with its Highland character.

Whatever means the blade might have ended up to the south is unknown, but what is notable is the rugged manner in which it has been sharpened over what appears a notable length of time. This kind of process is something seen in native environments with the crude use of stones.
The blade therefore may have been in use with a native warrior in a local type of sword for some time, and thus well venerated in battle.

The use of such venerated blades in a votive or ceremonial sense is well established in these regions, and warriors are celebrated in viragal (monument) stones. Perhaps this old blade was placed in its current iconographic gauntlet in this sense.

Lastly, the presence of these early Solingen type blades is well known from early times already through trade, so may have come into India via that conduit as well,