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#1 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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This looks like a solid business-oriented eample of a rare 3 bladed Rajput dagger. The knife has an all steel construction, and what looks like a very deep patina. The main blades have armor pierceing reinforced points, and the short forward has an odd number of waves (11).
![]() ![]() Unfortunately, there seem to be very few documented examples of these weapons. I am hesitant to put a date on this; although, my first impression is that it is quite old (perhaps 18-17th century). I would appreciate your comments on this item. n2s |
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#2 |
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It is an interesting Haladie you have, and it is very true that you don’t often see them. It is also interesting to notice that both the big blades have a ricasso, as I don’t remember having seen that before, and the armour piercing reinforcement is unusual from the ones I have seen. As you don’t mention anything, I guess there are no inlays or marking on the blades – are there?
Here is a picture of Maru from a museums catalogue from Hyderabad, A. P. The catalogue is from 1975 and very badly printed, but I thought I would show the picture anyway. The text to the picture reads: ‘Maru, two-pronged blade on each side and handle in the middle. Quillons downward. Length 69 cm. Early 18th century. Inscription in gold ‘Badshah’’. If it is called a Haladie or a Maru depends probably from where it comes. Mostly a Maru is of the same principle but made of two horns with iron tips. |
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#3 | |
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![]() Quote:
![]() closeup: The right side Haladie blade. n2s Last edited by not2sharp; 7th August 2006 at 01:53 PM. |
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#4 |
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Here is a better picture of a Haladie/Madu like the one from the museum in Hyderabad. Both blades have, on both sides, been decorated in silver and gold in koft gari, but only the one giving the year is intact.
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#5 |
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Hi n2s, I just saw your mail. The reason why the two blades are not symetrical could be due to the way they used it. A nasty weapon in a close combat.
Here is a detail. |
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#6 | |
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![]() Quote:
![]() I think of the Haladie as a left handed weapon, used in the manner of and, as an alternative to, the buckler or main gauche (although much more complicated to use then either). Note: any thoughts on how these may have been carried or sheathed? n2s ps. The picture above was borrowed from this online article - I think we have found the crusader version of F-troop's Heck-are-we indians. ![]() http://www.swordhistory.com/excerpts/crusaders.html |
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#7 |
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Hi n2s,
I too believe it was made for the left hand, and one trained to use such a dagger, armed with a tulwar in the right hand must have been a scary enemy. I remember to have seen a Haladie with a scabbard for each blade – unfortunately I can’t remember where I saw it ![]() BTW your link does not seem to work. Jens |
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