Elephant swords

kronckew · 20th November 2019, 07:33 PM

For your continued enjoyement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmpx4QTeMKk

Jens Nordlunde · 20th November 2019, 09:42 PM

Very funny Knocknew, you really must be a person with a lot of humor:-).

As none of us have an elephant sword, we are guessing, but when it comes to the weight, I think Ariel is close.

Fernando, you must temember that measurers/weights were more floating centuries ago - and we are speaking about the 16th century.

fernando · 21st November 2019, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde

...Fernando, you must temember that measurers/weights were more floating centuries ago - and we are speaking about the 16th century...

You are right Jens; i am aware of that.
I was more focusing on the particularity that each interpreter mentions measure units that are so distant in length from each other. Braces have nothing to do with cubits, no matter their floating through time.

.

fernando · 22nd November 2019, 01:06 PM

From Fernão Mendes Pinto (1509-83) "PEREGRINAÇÃO", page 184 ...
As went, two hundred elephants armed with castles, and war panouras, which are the swords that they carry in their tusks when they battle ...
It looks legitimate to conclude that, swords were either 'socketed' to their tusks. or fastened to their trunk... depending on the local fashion.

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ariel · 22nd November 2019, 02:10 PM

I am with Fernando.
Elephant tusk swords are well documented. But I have never seen an authenticated trunk sword.
Functionally, it makes sense: attaching a blade to a solid and immovable tusk eliminates the danger of self-injury.

Jens Nordlunde · 22nd November 2019, 03:15 PM

In the quote in post 106 Ludovico di Varthema must have seen a trunk sword used according to the way he descrubes it.
I have not seen a trunk sword either, so maybe they were melted down when they went out of use, but the tusk swords may still have been used at parades - who knows?

fernando · 22nd November 2019, 04:09 PM

Whether trunk swords were melted or are kept in private collections based on their rarity, or even forgotten in musem sub-basements, is something to admit.
Varthema is much too specific for us to reject the possibility/probability that such version also took place; neither its confusion with the dual tusk swords seems to be plausible.
Look at (my attempted) Castillian translation ...

" The weapon that the elephant carries is only his trunk; which they call Manum. On said trunk they tie an unsheathed sword, two cubits long, and fat and wide like the palm of a hand ... "

What do you say, Ariel ?

22nd November 2019, 01:06 PM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	From Fernão Mendes Pinto (1509-83) "PEREGRINAÇÃO", page 184 ... As went, two hundred elephants armed with castles, and war panouras, which are the swords that they carry in their tusks when they battle ... It looks legitimate to conclude that, swords were either 'socketed' to their tusks. or fastened to their trunk... depending on the local fashion. . Attached Images

22nd November 2019, 02:10 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I am with Fernando. Elephant tusk swords are well documented. But I have never seen an authenticated trunk sword. Functionally, it makes sense: attaching a blade to a solid and immovable tusk eliminates the danger of self-injury. Attached Images

20th November 2019, 07:33 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,224	For your continued enjoyement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmpx4QTeMKk

20th November 2019, 09:42 PM	#2
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Very funny Knocknew, you really must be a person with a lot of humor:-). As none of us have an elephant sword, we are guessing, but when it comes to the weight, I think Ariel is close. Fernando, you must temember that measurers/weights were more floating centuries ago - and we are speaking about the 16th century.

22nd November 2019, 03:15 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	In the quote in post 106 Ludovico di Varthema must have seen a trunk sword used according to the way he descrubes it. I have not seen a trunk sword either, so maybe they were melted down when they went out of use, but the tusk swords may still have been used at parades - who knows?

22nd November 2019, 04:09 PM	#7
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Whether trunk swords were melted or are kept in private collections based on their rarity, or even forgotten in musem sub-basements, is something to admit. Varthema is much too specific for us to reject the possibility/probability that such version also took place; neither its confusion with the dual tusk swords seems to be plausible. Look at (my attempted) Castillian translation ... " The weapon that the elephant carries is only his trunk; which they call Manum. On said trunk they tie an unsheathed sword, two cubits long, and fat and wide like the palm of a hand ... " What do you say, Ariel ?