Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jens Nordlunde · 1st May 2006, 03:13 PM

Hi Fernando,
Thank you for solving the angulas question

. Now, if 12 angulas is the same as 9 inches, that would make 1 angula about 1.95 cm - I remember them bigger. Anyway, it is strange to use the same word for a measure in one country and for a fish in another country - unless of course they have something to do with each other. What do you think?
Interesting translation you made - thank you.

Goddess Durga Mahisasuramardini. C.10th century.
In her principal right hand she holds a trident (trisula) which pierces the conquered demon in human form as he tries to leave the body of the buffalo. The principal left hand clutches the hair of the demon. In the uppermost pair of hands Durga holds a sword (khadga) and a shield (khetaga). The second pair holds a bowl (patra) or a scull-cup (kapala), and a bell (ghanta)(?), and the third pair an arrow (sara) and a bow (capa).
There is one thing, which keeps coming back to me, when we discuss the bronzes.
Let us say that a bronze made in the 10th c. showed the weapons used at the time – in this case a sword. For some reason or other they, at the same place, wanted to make a bronze representing the same deity three hundred years later. The form of the sword had changed somehow in the past period. Would they copy the sword from the old bronze, or would they use the type used at the time? I think they would copy the old one. Did you ever see a bronze with a shamshir, or a khanda for that matter, no you have not, they are wearing straight double-edged swords, possibly with a broader tip, or a leaf shaped blade, with a very old type of hilt. They were not even so modern as to use a hand guard.
I can’t say they did not make changes, but I think changes must have been very moderate, if any was made, so I think, when using bronzes in our search, we are looking for very old weapon types.

1st May 2006, 03:13 PM	#16
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Fernando, Thank you for solving the angulas question. Now, if 12 angulas is the same as 9 inches, that would make 1 angula about 1.95 cm - I remember them bigger. Anyway, it is strange to use the same word for a measure in one country and for a fish in another country - unless of course they have something to do with each other. What do you think? Interesting translation you made - thank you. Goddess Durga Mahisasuramardini. C.10th century. In her principal right hand she holds a trident (trisula) which pierces the conquered demon in human form as he tries to leave the body of the buffalo. The principal left hand clutches the hair of the demon. In the uppermost pair of hands Durga holds a sword (khadga) and a shield (khetaga). The second pair holds a bowl (patra) or a scull-cup (kapala), and a bell (ghanta)(?), and the third pair an arrow (sara) and a bow (capa). There is one thing, which keeps coming back to me, when we discuss the bronzes. Let us say that a bronze made in the 10th c. showed the weapons used at the time – in this case a sword. For some reason or other they, at the same place, wanted to make a bronze representing the same deity three hundred years later. The form of the sword had changed somehow in the past period. Would they copy the sword from the old bronze, or would they use the type used at the time? I think they would copy the old one. Did you ever see a bronze with a shamshir, or a khanda for that matter, no you have not, they are wearing straight double-edged swords, possibly with a broader tip, or a leaf shaped blade, with a very old type of hilt. They were not even so modern as to use a hand guard. I can’t say they did not make changes, but I think changes must have been very moderate, if any was made, so I think, when using bronzes in our search, we are looking for very old weapon types.