Help requested on Islamic? inscriptions on a heavy axe

Lee · 11th June 2009, 08:54 PM

My thanks, Dom, for your help with understanding the inscriptions. Does the style of the calligraphy give any suggestion of origin?

Below are the promised pictures of both faces of the axe. I apologize for leaving a scale out of the photographs, from the hammer head to the center edge measures 23.5 cm and from horn to horn in a straight line is 24 cm. The overall mass is 2.6 kg, including a plain wooden haft. The blade of the axe is surprisingly dull and about 1.5 mm thick. Also, I get the impression that the decoration was applied after and around the gash on the socket in the top picture and was similarly applied over a scraped depressed area on the blade face in the bottom picture.

Over the socket there is a representation of a live bird which appears to be standing over a dead bird. Do you know what this references?

I have e-mailed the department in the museum where I saw a very similar axe requesting any further information they can provide about the provenance of their example and I am awaiting their reply...

In the meantime, does anyone want to stick their neck out (no, not over the block) and propose an attribution before I share my museum observations?

Dom · 11th June 2009, 09:40 PM

the calligraphy don't give any information,

as far as is purely religious mentions,
it's obligatory in Arabic language,
even if the country of origin is not arabic speakers, e.i.; Persia, India

due to what is mentionned on above
no ideas from where it's could come from

without to take a big risk (I'm ready to put one nail on the block under the blade)
it's Indo-Persian

even more Indo than Persan

now I leave the place to my collegues, who could have their appreciations

Lee · 13th June 2009, 12:33 AM

Dom, I appreciate your courage in stepping forward! Your conclusion of "Indo-Persian, even more Indo than Persian" is exactly what I had come to think about this axe, and like you, I was not really very comfortable with that attribution.

In due course I had consigned it in my mind as "eccentric Indian Raj-era souvenir." Of course, the considerable weight would be the opposite of what one would expect from this attribution and the decoration might also be a bit too restrained. And, of course, the very plain wooden handle would also not fit this scenario. Dull would be consistent, however.

I had also wondered about it being made as an executioner's axe - the mass would be good for that - but then dull becomes a big problem. And, of course, with the help of your translations, such a purpose would appear to be inconsistent with the inscriptions.

Needless to say, I suppose, is that the museum's attribution for their very similar axe is "none of those above." I am still waiting to hear back from them as to any information they might have on the provenance of their example and I will use that as an excuse to see if any other forum members develop the courage to put a fingernail forth...

RSWORD · 13th June 2009, 04:24 AM

I will "stick my neck" out and say that it is most probably Persian and you might want to have a close look to see if the steel is wootz. The bird imagery looked familiar to me and I was looking through "Persian Steel, The Tanavoli Collection" by James Allen and Brian Gilmour and ran across very similar imagery on a chiseled scabbard mount. On p. 222, they state "The image of a bird of prey attacking a water bird is found on 18th century Iranian saddle-axes. A.S. Melikian-Chirvani suggests that the depiction is of a hawk attacking a heron, and that it is an allegory of royal triumph." I don't know if this particular imagery carried over into India but I have also seen the bird of prey attacking a water bird chiseled at the forte of some khanjar which typically are Persian.

Lee · 14th June 2009, 03:45 PM

Thanks for your courage in extending your neck, Rsword, and for the insight into the images of the birds. Unfortunately, I have been relying on a friend's copy of Persian Steel, so I will suffer a delay before I can follow-up on that, though your suggestion did lead me to find a hawk attacking a heron on a saddle axe in figure 335 / plate 354 of Arms and Armor from Iran with some discussion on this theme on pp 265-266.

I do not see any trace that the steel is wootz.

Jeff Pringle · 14th June 2009, 07:02 PM

I agree with RSword on the origin, the style of the carving and the way the chisels were used look very Persian to me – except for the ancillary scrollwork coming off the main cartouche, which has a strong European(?) influence.
Here is a Safavid piece with similar composition & technique, an illustration from the V & A’s “Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World. 8-18th centuries”

Lee · 14th June 2009, 09:08 PM

Thanks, Jeff. Below is a snapshot of the example in the museum's case. The inscription is different, but it also shares a lot with the inscription in the upper view in the pictures above. The brass inlay and overall design are most similar, including the 'ancillary scrollwork.' Also, a hawk and heron may be discerned over the socket. Both axes are similarly quite dull. I like the more robust cap over the end of the haft on theirs and the expanding geometry of the hammer-head better on the museum's example.

I promise a wider view of the museum display and their attribution soon...

11th June 2009, 08:54 PM	#1
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 937	Phase 2, zooming back My thanks, Dom, for your help with understanding the inscriptions. Does the style of the calligraphy give any suggestion of origin? Below are the promised pictures of both faces of the axe. I apologize for leaving a scale out of the photographs, from the hammer head to the center edge measures 23.5 cm and from horn to horn in a straight line is 24 cm. The overall mass is 2.6 kg, including a plain wooden haft. The blade of the axe is surprisingly dull and about 1.5 mm thick. Also, I get the impression that the decoration was applied after and around the gash on the socket in the top picture and was similarly applied over a scraped depressed area on the blade face in the bottom picture. Over the socket there is a representation of a live bird which appears to be standing over a dead bird. Do you know what this references? I have e-mailed the department in the museum where I saw a very similar axe requesting any further information they can provide about the provenance of their example and I am awaiting their reply... In the meantime, does anyone want to stick their neck out (no, not over the block) and propose an attribution before I share my museum observations? Attached Images

13th June 2009, 12:33 AM	#3
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 937	Need to collect a few more nail trimmings Dom, I appreciate your courage in stepping forward! Your conclusion of "Indo-Persian, even more Indo than Persian" is exactly what I had come to think about this axe, and like you, I was not really very comfortable with that attribution. In due course I had consigned it in my mind as "eccentric Indian Raj-era souvenir." Of course, the considerable weight would be the opposite of what one would expect from this attribution and the decoration might also be a bit too restrained. And, of course, the very plain wooden handle would also not fit this scenario. Dull would be consistent, however. I had also wondered about it being made as an executioner's axe - the mass would be good for that - but then dull becomes a big problem. And, of course, with the help of your translations, such a purpose would appear to be inconsistent with the inscriptions. Needless to say, I suppose, is that the museum's attribution for their very similar axe is "none of those above." I am still waiting to hear back from them as to any information they might have on the provenance of their example and I will use that as an excuse to see if any other forum members develop the courage to put a fingernail forth...

14th June 2009, 07:02 PM	#6
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	I agree with RSword on the origin, the style of the carving and the way the chisels were used look very Persian to me – except for the ancillary scrollwork coming off the main cartouche, which has a strong European(?) influence. Here is a Safavid piece with similar composition & technique, an illustration from the V & A’s “Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World. 8-18th centuries” Attached Images

14th June 2009, 09:08 PM	#7
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 937	Hmmm... Islamic with a touch of European influence Thanks, Jeff. Below is a snapshot of the example in the museum's case. The inscription is different, but it also shares a lot with the inscription in the upper view in the pictures above. The brass inlay and overall design are most similar, including the 'ancillary scrollwork.' Also, a hawk and heron may be discerned over the socket. Both axes are similarly quite dull. I like the more robust cap over the end of the haft on theirs and the expanding geometry of the hammer-head better on the museum's example. I promise a wider view of the museum display and their attribution soon... Attached Images

11th June 2009, 09:40 PM	#2
Dom Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Paris (FR*) Cairo (EG) Posts: 1,142	the calligraphy don't give any information, as far as is purely religious mentions, it's obligatory in Arabic language, even if the country of origin is not arabic speakers, e.i.; Persia, India due to what is mentionned on above no ideas from where it's could come from without to take a big risk (I'm ready to put one nail on the block under the blade) it's Indo-Persian even more Indo than Persan now I leave the place to my collegues, who could have their appreciations

13th June 2009, 04:24 AM	#4
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,087	I will "stick my neck" out and say that it is most probably Persian and you might want to have a close look to see if the steel is wootz. The bird imagery looked familiar to me and I was looking through "Persian Steel, The Tanavoli Collection" by James Allen and Brian Gilmour and ran across very similar imagery on a chiseled scabbard mount. On p. 222, they state "The image of a bird of prey attacking a water bird is found on 18th century Iranian saddle-axes. A.S. Melikian-Chirvani suggests that the depiction is of a hawk attacking a heron, and that it is an allegory of royal triumph." I don't know if this particular imagery carried over into India but I have also seen the bird of prey attacking a water bird chiseled at the forte of some khanjar which typically are Persian.

14th June 2009, 03:45 PM	#5
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 937	Thanks for your courage in extending your neck, Rsword, and for the insight into the images of the birds. Unfortunately, I have been relying on a friend's copy of Persian Steel, so I will suffer a delay before I can follow-up on that, though your suggestion did lead me to find a hawk attacking a heron on a saddle axe in figure 335 / plate 354 of Arms and Armor from Iran with some discussion on this theme on pp 265-266. I do not see any trace that the steel is wootz.