Tulwar

The pommel of the hilt is in the form of a tiger's head; the quillons and the knuckle-guards too terminate in tiger heads. The quillon block also has tiger's head as its decoration.

Inscribed in Arabic and dated A.H. 1145 = 1732 CE.

A hilt with tiger head is known as Tipu-hilt. A similar one which is now in the H. M. Collection at Windsor Castle is considered to be of Tipu Sultan of Mysore (1782 - 1799 CE) and was found on his person in the last battle of Seirangapatan.

Tipu was known as the 'Tiger of Mysore' and this may explain the use of a tiger head to decorate the hilts of this period.