Elephant swords

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

... There is still some plausibility of trunk 'swords' having been used in SOME fashion, as suggested in corroborating period accounts from varied sources observing them in real time.

However Jim, given the recurrent spicing poured into accounts, left to us by authors with imagination, and period paintings being not the same as photographs (and even those), we wind up swapping hypothesis in a loop mode.
On the other hand, it looks as if the increasing reach for peripheral resources, namely within the zoologic area (horses, dogs, bats, narwhals, foxes), is bringing this second thread chapter to compete with the Ark of Noah .
Until then ...

[Jim McDougall]

Well said in your inimitable and intriguing manner Fernando!!! The 'spicing' of these accounts and the artwork which evolved in the same themes by imaginative and creative writers and artists have presented us with a challenging task, to break through these colorful veneers to find the truth.
Absolutely perfectly placed analogy to this chapter of the topic, which has indeed become reminiscent of Noah and his ark in degree in its zoologic periphery.

It has indeed been a lively and thought provoking discussion, and personally I think some great perspectives have been gained on this topic and the related situations with animals in warfare. Its always amazing what can be learned when thinking, and discussion, can move 'outside the box'!

[Milogow360]

The oldest mentioning of tusk blades was from Timur biography. Of his invasion of the Delhi Sultanates.

[ariel]

Can you post the text and its source?

[rysays]

I have some limited experience working with antique Indian & mammoth ivory and while it's very strong, it's also somewhat brittle. When ivory breaks, the cracks can chip & spread like a split log. I assume a elephant tusk broken close to the root would be as painful as a broken tooth is to a human.

In the scenario where tusks are being used as a weapon, the illustrations that show them blunted with metal caps & bands makes the most sense for me, since it would protect the tip from damage & the bands stop splitting. Blades on the ends of caps, while intimidating, could be big levers that would risk breaking the tusk in use. I wouldn't want to ride on top of an frenzied elephant with a toothache & my hypothesis is the bands/caps are to protect the tusks while they're used as bludgeons, and the rarity of tusk swords implies they were tried but abandoned outside parades.

[Ian]

Welcome to the Forum, rysays, and thanks for these comments.

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by rysays

...it's also somewhat brittle. When ivory breaks, the cracks can chip & spread like a split log.

When I was stationed in Alaska, I bought a small Walrus Ivory Polar Bear carving from an Aleut. After a few decades, it started cracking. I soaked it in mineral oil, which was the recommendation back then, to stop it from further cracks. Oiling your elephant's tusks might help, if they let you.

[Milogow360]

Chinese monk account of sword attachments to the trunk. Artist representation of the same from Gandhara, 1st-2nd+ Century AD.