A Unique Kattar?

[Jim McDougall]

In further assessment of this most interesting weapon, it has been suggested to me that the hilt seems incongruous to the blade and is quite likely considerably older than the blade. The style of the hilt itself seems to correspond with katars from Tanjore and Srirangam from 17th and 18th centuries, with the arched cup shape on the base of the hilt and the highly decorated, flared parallel bars holding the transverse grips, also quite similar to these.

It seems that often in observing a weapon, one can sometimes be remiss in failing to see such details if they are caught up in the appearance of the weapon overall.....at least in my case here. It is important to remember that even weapons that have been reconfigured or remounted are typically not diminished in importance if that event takes place during its working life, including ceremonial or parade items.

While the potentially earlier hilt has been joined with a most interesting blade that as mentioned could be somehow associated to the Mysori weapons of Tipu, it might also be commemorative and of 19th c. Even after Tipu's defeat at Seringpatam, there were considerable examples of such weapons that were involved in diplomatic affairs for some time into the 19th c. It would be difficult to determine exactly what manner this might apply to this weapon, but considering the possibilities for the components themselves, the historical quality remains.

I have thought more on the holes also, and though the thought of attaching mail sounded interesting ( it seems this is sometimes done on kampilans in the Philippines), it does not seem plausible here. It does seem unusual for these holes drilled in rather unaligned appearance to be there by design, but I am wondering if they might be of a size that might be for screws or pins to attach a guard. Many of the Tanjore katars had a shell type guard that was attached at about this location and flared up to cover the hand.