jens' quest for the source and history of indian decoration is ever going and commendable. its an uphill battle that he continues to fight and i think we are all guilty of 'leaving him to it'. he is right in that the answers may be out there waiting for someone to stumble across them, or put the data known and as yet uncovered into the correct order and yield a plausable answer. hendley showed a personal interest in indian decoration, but his taste was the art of the day, and not antiquaty and so, although he may have been in the position to find out at the time, he stayed with the current arts and so his books tell a very 19thC story.
i have always veered away from symbolism as its never been my chosen route for knowledge. jens 'botany' quest may indeed show some answers, and i will be the first to crack open a bottle. my route has always been iconography in comparative arts, which is a lifetimes study in itself.
however, i'd like to steer off on a slight tangent from jens post, in order to open up another possible avenue which i've have been looking into.
the decorative art of rangoli is still alive in india and abundant in folk festivals and folk art. the word itself - 'Rangoli' is a sanskrit word which means a creative expression of art through the use of color. this art, of hindu origin, has adorned buildings, banners and textiles for many centuries. the moghuls, in their very 'modern' attitude incorporated hindu art into their own and you tend to find much hindu influence in moghul architecture.
i've attached an image od rangoli designs, which some may find familiar. note, the second row, third from left. this design is apparant on many 19thC pommels. then there is the 'tuban ornament' design etc.
as fashion tended to dictate a period in time, i thought that to trace back rangoli designs may attempt to pry out some answers. what i've always looked for is a way to verify and benchmark a date. architecture is one of the most reliable sources and there are a few (myself included) that have been looking into this for some time. maybe rangloi designs were dictated by a fashion trend and if this design did get incorporated into weapon design, there is a chance a connection can be made. the islamic world has been edging this way for many years and a weapon shows the same influence in decoration as a ewer.
something to chew over.
btw, unfortunately, the illustration i've attached infuriatingly has no description for the individual designs. i think that would be too easy
