Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 4th August 2008, 04:09 AM

While it seems well agreed that this is a nice example of a bullova, as always I like to learn a little on the historical end of the weapon. I do recall the tulwar hilted kora that Norman mentioned, a we had a great discussion on it. One of the interesting features on that kora was an inscribed figure wearing a crown,and holding what was revealed to actually being a boomerang (as Jens cited Elgood, p.191). This boomerang in the Elgood reference was termed a 'birudungi' and apparantly was from Madurai, in Central India, suggesting possibly that region for provenance.

Norman has noted the markings on this bullova having similarity to those on the kora, and I am noticing the red highlights on this piece. It seems the tulwar hilted kora I had also had traces of red paint in the inscribed decoration. I am not sure of the significance, but it has been suggested that the color may have been to emphasize the markings potency.

These bullova, in a certain range of variation are attributed as the weapon of the Khonds, a tribal people centered in regions of Chota Nagpur and of course with diffusion to surrounding areas. These people are aboriginal Dravidians that are animists but nominally Hindu.What I found most interesting is the bizarre sacrificial rituals practiced well into 19th century by them that has paralleled them in certain perspective to the notorious Thugs whose depradations were finally terminated by the British.

While the tulwar hilted kora, were said to have been used sacrificially for doves according to data I cannot reliably authenticate, but it seems they may have had some combat use. These bullova were distinctly combat weapons as described in period narratives, and as far as I can determine, were not used sactifically on humans. However, they did find use in dispatch of animals.

Since this great example Norman has acquired was intriguing, along with the kora he posted some time ago, I just wanted to look into these a bit further.
As always, I look forward to other comments on these axes, and maybe we might see some of the other variations. I agree with Lew on the age of this one, which is very, very nice!!

4th August 2008, 04:09 AM	#8
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	While it seems well agreed that this is a nice example of a bullova, as always I like to learn a little on the historical end of the weapon. I do recall the tulwar hilted kora that Norman mentioned, a we had a great discussion on it. One of the interesting features on that kora was an inscribed figure wearing a crown,and holding what was revealed to actually being a boomerang (as Jens cited Elgood, p.191). This boomerang in the Elgood reference was termed a 'birudungi' and apparantly was from Madurai, in Central India, suggesting possibly that region for provenance. Norman has noted the markings on this bullova having similarity to those on the kora, and I am noticing the red highlights on this piece. It seems the tulwar hilted kora I had also had traces of red paint in the inscribed decoration. I am not sure of the significance, but it has been suggested that the color may have been to emphasize the markings potency. These bullova, in a certain range of variation are attributed as the weapon of the Khonds, a tribal people centered in regions of Chota Nagpur and of course with diffusion to surrounding areas. These people are aboriginal Dravidians that are animists but nominally Hindu.What I found most interesting is the bizarre sacrificial rituals practiced well into 19th century by them that has paralleled them in certain perspective to the notorious Thugs whose depradations were finally terminated by the British. While the tulwar hilted kora, were said to have been used sacrificially for doves according to data I cannot reliably authenticate, but it seems they may have had some combat use. These bullova were distinctly combat weapons as described in period narratives, and as far as I can determine, were not used sactifically on humans. However, they did find use in dispatch of animals. Since this great example Norman has acquired was intriguing, along with the kora he posted some time ago, I just wanted to look into these a bit further. As always, I look forward to other comments on these axes, and maybe we might see some of the other variations. I agree with Lew on the age of this one, which is very, very nice!!