Unusually large indian/persian axe ,tourist maybe ?

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by kronckew

At first glance that looks like a decorated small parade axe, the spike doesn't appear to be long enough to do much damage in thrusting thru mail, arming jacket, etc. as it is prevented from going in full length by the blades and the axe blades look like flat steel welded to the central hub rather than integral ad tapering in thickness from it. The edges do not appear to have ever been sharpened either. Better photos from the top & edge on might help show otherwise tho.

Yes that was my feeling too , the edges are not sharp , the spike however has been broken and might have been longer originally. I have posted another axe which I believe is Indian , see below ....

[thinreadline]

Here is another of my double headed axes which I believe to be Indian . It is much larger than the all steel one I show above. It has a wooden haft which shows traces of once having been decorated with painted designs . The axe blades are sharp and have overall floral decoration commonly seen in Indian weapons . The spike protrudes about 1.5 inches beyond the axe head though again it looks to have been shortened by damage. The axe blades together are 9 inches across.

[kronckew]

Mine suffers from the same failings as the earlier one, but at least has a reasonably sharp edge, and if I needed to defend myself I could unscrew and use the dagger. Would'nt want to hack a man in armour with the axe part tho. Might make him madder.

[kronckew]

Two more of mine which are battle capable, the shorter one is from northern India, possibly Afghani, I note the head is set from below like a tomahawk, the haft swells a bit above it, unlike an axe which is set from the top and held in by a wedge or spike. The other is a decorated Dervish axe, both have the blade part tapering from a thick section at the hub down to the edge and are sharp. The dervish one has the reinforced metal tube thru the axes hub. The smaller one has a reinforced back to protect against torque snapping the haft on impact that serves the same purpose.

The Dervish one is mostly a display a part of their costume, but can defend them if needed. (The spike is sharp too) Some dervish axes have the labris like double bit axeheads. The Haft is quite slender, Again I suspect not meant for use against an armoured opponent, they were less likely to need one against such tho.

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by kronckew

Two more of mine which are battle capable, the shorter one is from northern India, possibly Afghani, I note the head is set from below like a tomahawk, the haft swells a bit above it, unlike an axe which is set from the top and held in by a wedge or spike. The other is a decorated Dervish axe, both have the blade part tapering from a thick section at the hub down to the edge and are sharp. The dervish one has the reinforced metal tube thru the axes hub. The smaller one has a reinforced back to protect against torque snapping the haft on impact that serves the same purpose.

The Dervish one is mostly a display a part of their costume, but can defend them if needed. (The spike is sharp too) Some dervish axes have the labris like double bit axeheads. The Haft is quite slender, Again I suspect not meant for use against an armoured opponent, they were less likely to need one against such tho.

Now that lower one is interesting , what made you conclude that it was Dervish rather than Indian ?

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by thinreadline

Now that lower one is interesting , what made you conclude that it was Dervish rather than Indian ?

I initially thought it was Indo-Persian when I originally posted it here, then I had my mind changed by Ibrahim from

This: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=dervish

Opinion did vary a bit tho from India to the Sudan and back to the Sufi dervishes - they did get around a lot. . Heck, maybe they got their axes from trade with India. Some cool axes in that earlier thread too.

...and then there is this:

[Kubur]

Hi Guys
IMO the last ones are battle axe and they are Indians (one is sindhi or rajasthani and the other I don't know really...).
The first one double head is again more for parade or theater.
The metal shaft is hollow and much more fragile than the thin wooden shaft of the last axe.
I'm still looking for battle double head axes...

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by kronckew

I initially thought it was Indo-Persian when I originally posted it here, then I had my mind changed by Ibrahim from

This: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=dervish

Opinion did vary a bit tho from India to the Sudan and back to the Sufi dervishes - they did get around a lot. . Heck, maybe they got their axes from trade with India. Some cool axes in that earlier thread too.

...and then there is this:

Well noted Wayne, the term Dervish was broadly applied in the Sufi context. In the Sudan, the Mahdi chose to use the term 'Ansar' to refer to his warriors.

I am still looking for notes toward the use of double crescent head axes and references which directly note they were distinctly for ceremonial purpose (I think it was expressly noted in Haider.