Symbols of Glory
Exploring a variety of swords from the collection at Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad (15th to 20th century)
Relief with Lion Hunt (880 BCE - 856 BCE) by UnknownPergamonmuseum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Humanity’s need for a weapon
Mankind has had always required something to defend itself from the dangers of the world. Earliest weapons were provided by nature itself; teeth, nails etc. Humans developed hand-axes, scrapers and finally in the Iron Age came the swords, tridents and maces.
Talking Swords
The widespread use of swords in battlefields led to development of a symbolic language; where raising of sword was the declaration of war, lowering it down was an acknowledgement of defeat and throwing it down on the ground was an invitation to a challenge.
Sword as a weapon
A sword is traditionally defined as an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. It has three parts; hilt, blade and scabbard.
Evolution of the swords can be traced back to flint daggers, knives of the Paleolithic Period (1600 BC).
THAKUR SRI JAGATH SINGHJI (1900/1999)Salar Jung Museum
Swords in Paintings
Paintings have always made it possible to reconstruct the social, economic and political conditions of the past. Swords served various purposes like thrusting, slashing but also ceremonial, ritual and curious swords.
Mir Yusuf Ali Khan (1889/1949)Salar Jung Museum
In Royal Portraiture
Portrait of Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Bahadur (Salar Jung III), prime minister during Nizam rule of Hyderabad, seen in cavalry uniform with a ceremonial sword in his left hand. This painting dates back to the 19th century.
Royal Hunting Scene (1837)Salar Jung Museum
Hunting Scene
Miniature painting of a hunting scene depicting a king killing a wild boar with a sword in his hand. It belongs to the Jodhpur school of Rajasthan dating back to the circa 1837 A.D.
The Salar Jung Museum Collection
The collection of arms and armoury in the Salar Jung museum is a rare treasure, including match-lock, flint-lock, muzzle loading guns, dueling pistols and revolvers. The collection of arms and armoury, excluding fire-arms consists of daggers, shields, chest-plates, helmets, suit of amour and a fascinating quantity of different swords from different eras as well.
Let's have a look at some interesting swords!
Sword of Salar Jung III (1901/1999)Salar Jung Museum
Double edged sword of Salar Jung III
A double-edged sword with a curved steel blade from the 20th century. The hilt bears the Salar Jung monogram with the motto “My trust is in God” in gold relief. The scabbard has a maroon velvet cover and metallic gold metal work at the edge.
The hilt with the monogram
The hilt bears the Salar Jung monogram with the motto “My trust is in God” in gold relief.
Sword of Salar Jung III with uncut diamonds Sword of Salar Jung III with uncut diamondsSalar Jung Museum
Ceremonial sword of Salar Jung III
Salar Jung-III’s talwar or sword with European curved blade with a gold handle, from the 20th century. It is studded with sparkling uncut diamonds polished and set in coloured enamel.
The Diamond Hilt
Sword hilt is studded with sparkling uncut diamonds polished and set in colored enamel. These diamonds were from Golconda.
ShamshirSalar Jung Museum
Shamshir
This Shamshir blade bears the inscription 'Muhammad Saheb' and dates back to 1215 A.H/1800 A.D. The pistol-shaped grip is covered with two pieces of horn; the guard below is of steel and inscribed on both sides with the verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic (Naskh style).
Nagan Sword (1801/1899)Salar Jung Museum
Nagan
This double-edged blade is a Nagan sword. The blade is decorated with various animal figures in golden wire on both the sides. The steel hilt is shaped like a bird with a knuckle - guard and is damascened in gold. It dates back to the 19th century.
Zulfikar (1801/1899)Salar Jung Museum
Zulfikar
This curved sword, dated to the 19th century, is bifurcated at the lower end is called Zulfiqar.
There is an inscription in gold in the middle of the blade reading 'Ya Allah' in Arabic. The part of the blade near the hilt is damascened in gold. The hilt is Delhishahi.
Sosun-patta (1720/1720)Salar Jung Museum
Sosun - patta
This Sosun-patta is single-edged on one side and double edged on the lower end with blade bearing grooves on both sides. The inscription in gold reads 'Ya Fatah' (a name of Allah) in Naskh script and Arabic language. It dates back to the 18th century.
Nair Temple Sword (1701/1799)Salar Jung Museum
Nair Temple Sword
This double-edged, recurved blade making an L shape is a Nair temple sword. It has a brass hilt with a circular pommel with jingles, cylindrical grip, flanged quillons and triangular seating. It belongs to Tamil Nadu, dating back to the 18th century.
Samurai Sword (1801/1900)Salar Jung Museum
Samurai Sword
Katana (Samurai Sword) is a generic term for swords originally developed in Japan. This sword has a carved ivory hilt and scabbard. Carving represents in panels group of men, women and children. It dates back to the 19th century.
Swordstick (1601/1700)Salar Jung Museum
Swordstick
A swordstick is a cane containing a hidden blade. This silver swordstick is fitted with grape colour jade pieces on top and bottom encrusted with red and green stones in silver settings with two bands one on top and one at the bottom encrusted with turquoise, dated to the 17th century.
Yataghan Sword (1401/1500)Salar Jung Museum
Yataghan
This curved blade of Damascus steel is a Yataghan sword. One side of the blade is inscribed all over in gold damascening recording the names of Allah and verses in Arabic. It belongs to Delhi dating back to the Sultanate period, 15th century.
Sword gifted by Prince of Wales (1875/1875)Salar Jung Museum
Wilkinson Swords
This sword was presented by the Prince of Wales to Mukhtar-ul-Mulk Nawab Sir Salar Jung Bahadur in 1875. The blade was manufactured by Wilkinson in London. The pistol-shaped hilt is covered with two pieces of ivory.
Text and Curation: Pallavi Baheti
Photography: M. Krishnamurthy and Bahadur Ali
Research Assistance: Dinesh Singh, E. Rajesh and Vinod Kumar.
Special Thanks to Dr. A. Nagender Reddy, Director, Salar Jung Museum and Soma Ghosh, Librarian, Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, India.
References:
1.Pant, G. N(1989) - Catalogue of edged arms and armour in the Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, Hyderabad : Salar Jung Museum.
2. Pant, G. N (1978) - Indian arms and armour, New Delhi : Army Educational Stores
3. Pant, G. N (1970) - Studies in Indian Weapons and Warfare. New Delhi : Army Educational Stores
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