Bringing death. Talwar - combat saber - central India - 19th century Talwar weapon

Among collectors ancient weapons India is famous not only for the widest variety of curved and straight swords, but also for such unique weapon, like a talwar. Tulwars or Talwars are the most common type of ancient saber found in the Indo-Iranian region. Such in most literary sources it is rightfully considered a typically Indian weapon. The oldest books spoke of the talwar as one of the ten divine weapons that appeared in the thirteenth century.

It had a lens-shaped or flat blade in cross-section. As a rule, it was moderately or slightly curved, distinguished by medium width and one-and-a-half sharpening. Talwars necessarily had a ricosso - the so-called cutting edge of the blade, starting five to seven centimeters from the handle. The craftsmen left a small, unsharpened “platform” behind the crosshairs. Later models of talwars were characterized by the presence of elmani - an extension at the tip of the blade.

The blades of such weapons were made with or without fullers. In some ancient talwars, the valley was end-to-end, which made it possible to place a number of pearls or freely rolling metal balls into it. When the first Europeans began to appear in the region, local craftsmen began to actively produce combat blades of the European type, in which the handle was replaced with a talvar one.

A particularly interesting part of such a weapon was undoubtedly considered the hilt, which had various forms and sizes. Often the talwar had an s-shaped or d-shaped bow, and the wooden scabbard was covered with leather or velvet. Ancient talwars, which belonged to noble and wealthy people, had a metal tip and mouth. Such sabers had different blades in bending, workmanship and size. As a rule, the blade of the talwar was not very wide, but there were weapons with several sharp fullers and a wide blade.

The traditional handle of the talwar was straight with a characteristic thickening in the middle part. Talwars were usually worn in a sheath or slung over the shoulder. They were often richly decorated with geometric or floral patterns applied to the hilt. In addition, the blade was decorated with images of animals and gods using gilding or carving. Talwars, made for noble people and local rulers, were richly inlaid with precious stones and decorated with delightful enamel compositions.

For many hundreds of years, Europeans considered precious stones to be the main treasures of India. But in fact, its main wealth has always been iron. Indian steel has been highly valued since the time of Alexander the Great and was used to produce the highest quality and most expensive weapons.

The famous centers of weapons production in the medieval East were Bukhara and Damascus, but... they received metal for it from India. It was the ancient Indians who mastered the secret of producing damask steel, known in Europe as Damascus. They also managed to tame and use elephants in battles, and just like their horses, they dressed them in chain mail armor and metal plates!

In India, several grades of steel of varying quality were produced. Steel went into production various types weapons, which were then exported not only to the markets of the East, but also to Europe. Many types of weapons were unique to this country and were not used anywhere else. If they were bought, they were considered as a curiosity.

Chakra, a flat throwing disc used in India until the mid-19th century, was very dangerous in the right hands. The outer edge of the disk was razor-sharp, and the edges of its inner hole were blunt. When throwing, the chakra was vigorously spun around index finger and threw it at the target with all their might. After this, the chakra flew with such force that at a distance of 20–30 m it could cut through the trunk of a green bamboo 2 cm thick. Sikh warriors wore several chakras on their turbans at once, which, among other things, protected them from above from a saber strike. Damask chakras were often decorated with gold notches and had religious inscriptions on them.

In addition to ordinary daggers, the Hindus very widely used the katar - a dagger with a handle perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. At the top and bottom there were two parallel plates, ensuring the correct position of the weapon and at the same time protecting the hand from someone else’s blow. Sometimes a third wide plate was used, which covered the back of the hand. The handle was held in a fist, and the blade was like an extension of the hand, so the blow here was directed by the stronger muscles of the forearm, rather than the wrist. It turned out that the blade was a continuation of the hand itself, thanks to which it was possible to strike from various provisions, not only standing, but even lying prone. The Cathars had both two and three blades (the latter could stick out in different directions!), they had sliding and curved blades - for every taste!

Madu. A very original weapon was a pair of antelope horns, which had steel tips and were connected on one handle together with a guard to protect the hand, with points in different directions.

Nepal was the birthplace of the kukri knife, which has a specific shape. It was originally used to cut a path through the jungle, but then found its way into the arsenal of the Nepalese Gurkha warriors.

Not far from India, on the island of Java, another original blade was born - the kris. It is believed that the first kris were made in Java by a legendary warrior named Juan Tuaha back in the 14th century. Later, when Muslims invaded Java and began to persistently spread Islam there, they also became acquainted with these weapons. Having appreciated these unusual daggers, the invaders began to use them themselves.

The blades of the first kris were short (15–25 cm), straight and thin, and were made entirely of meteorite iron. Later they were somewhat lengthened and made wavy (flame-shaped), which facilitated the penetration of weapons between bones and tendons. The number of waves varied (from 3 to 25), but was always odd. Each set of curves had its own meaning, for example, three waves implied fire, five were associated with the five elements, and the absence of curves expressed the idea of ​​unity and concentration of spiritual energy.

The blade, made of an alloy of iron and meteorite nickel, consisted of several repeatedly forged layers of steel. What gave the weapon special value was the moiré-like pattern on its surface (pamor), formed when the product was treated with plant acids, so that the grains of stable nickel stood out clearly against the background of deeply etched iron.

The double-edged blade had a sharp asymmetrical extension near the guard (ganja), often decorated with a slotted ornament or a patterned notch. The handle of the kris was made of wood, horn, ivory, silver or gold and was carved, with a more or less sharp bend at the end. Characteristic feature Chris was that the handle did not lock and easily turned on the shank.

When grasping a weapon, the bend of the handle was placed on the little finger side of the palm, and the upper part of the guard covered the root of the index finger, the tip of which together with the tip thumb clutched the base of the blade near the bottom of the ganja. The tactics for using kris involved a quick thrust and pull. As for the “poisoned” kris, they were prepared very simply. They took dried dope seeds, opium, mercury and white arsenic, mixed everything thoroughly and crushed it in a mortar, after which the blade was covered with this composition.

Gradually, the length of the kris began to reach 100 cm, so that in fact it was no longer a dagger, but a sword. In total in South-East Asia up to the present day there are more than 100 varieties of this type of weapon.

Kora, Khora or Hora is a heavy striking sword from Nepal and northern India, used for both martial and ritual purposes. Martial and ritual kora are very similar, only the sacrificial sword is wider and heavier. It has a very heavy flared pommel, as it must add weight to the blade and decapitate the sacrificed animal in one blow. The kor blade has a characteristic duck's foot profile, thin near the hilt, with a blade flaring towards the tip with a slightly curved blade. The massive blade has a curved shape, sharpened to inside. Sometimes a fuller is used in the form of a wide groove located along the entire length of the blade and replacing the rib. The presence of several edges allows you to strike in different parts sword. The total length of the sword is 60-65 cm, the length of the blade is 50 cm. The guard is ring-shaped, made of metal and has the shape of a disk. Often the guard is placed both on the side of the blade and on the side of the pommel, and protects the hand on both sides.
The kora is usually decorated with an eye symbol or other Buddhist symbolism, which is placed on each side of the blade. Sheath made of genuine leather. There are two types of kor sheaths: a scabbard adapted to the shape of the sword, unfastened by means of buttons located along the entire length of the sheath. In another version, the scabbard big size look like a carrying case. There is a kora model with a longer and lighter blade.

Sword puttah bemoh
A two-handed sword or epee with a long narrow straight blade and two handles separated by guards in the shape of crosses or cups. It was first mentioned in the 16th century treatises “Nihang-nama” and “Nujum al-Ulum”. Several copies of such swords have survived. One of them has a total length of 165 cm and a blade length of 118 cm. The handle is divided into two parts, each of which is equipped with a cup-shaped guard. The blade is quite narrow, similar to a sword blade.
It is believed that these swords arose in the 16th century, perhaps under the influence of the German Zweihanders, and were later replaced by Khanda weapons. However, mel puttah bemoh has important difference from European two-handed swords - a narrow and relatively light blade, which was not so effective for delivering slashing blows.

In general, the edged weapons of India and the lands close to it were extremely diverse. Like many other peoples of Eurasia, the national weapon of the Hindus was a straight sword - the khanda. But they also used their own types of sabers, which were distinguished by a relatively slight curvature of the wide blade, starting from the very base of the blade. Excellent forging masters, the Indians could make blades that had a slot on the blade, and pearls were inserted into it, which rolled freely in it without falling out! One can imagine the impression they made as they rolled into the slots on an almost black blade made of Indian damask steel. The hilts of Indian sabers were no less rich and elaborate. Moreover, unlike the Turkish and Persian ones, they had a cup-like guard to protect the hand. It is interesting that the presence of a guard was also typical for other types of Indian weapons, including even such traditional ones as a mace and a shestoper.

Talwar - Indian saber. Appearance Talwara is typical for sabers - the blade is of medium width, somewhat curved, the sharpening can be one and a half, but this is not necessary. There are variants of the talwar both with and without elmanya. There may be a fuller on the blade of the talwar, but most often it is not there. In some cases, the valley may even be end-to-end; movable balls made of various materials are sometimes inserted into it.
The main difference between the talwar and other sabers is, first of all, its disc-shaped pommel of the hilt. Also, this saber must have a “ricasso” (heel), even if it is small. The length of the blade can be from 60 to 100 cm, width - from 3 to 5 cm. The handle of the talwar is straight, with a thickening in the middle, and is designed exclusively for one hand. The disc-shaped pommel prevents loss of the weapon and gives this saber unique view. It is often richly decorated, as are the hilt and guard. The latter can have either a straight shape, or an S-shaped or D-shaped one.
The ornaments decorating the talwar usually contain geometric shapes, images of animals and birds. On the weapons of the rich you can see inlay with precious stones or enamel.

The Talwar has been around since the 13th century and was a very popular weapon in northern India. Especially among the Rajputs, representatives of the Kshatriya caste, who used these weapons right up to the 19th century.
In addition to military, the talwar also has a certain sacred purpose. According to mythology, it is one of the ten weapons of the gods, with the help of which the forces of good fought against demons and other evil.

Pata or puddha is an Indian sword with a long, straight, double-edged blade that is connected to a gauntlet, a steel guard that protects the arm up to the elbow.

Pata is a combination of a straight, double-edged sword and armor protection for the forearm and hand. The blade fits into a protective cup with a handle inside. The pat has a handle perpendicular to the blade, just like a katar, but there are several belts on the armor to secure the hand.
Pata blades were from 60 to 100 cm with a hilt width of 35-50 mm. The weight reached 1.5 - 2.2 kg. The pata blade was fastened with rivets to plates extending from the protective cup.
The pata cup covering the hand was often made in the shape of the head of an elephant, snake, fish or dragon. In this case, the blade extended from the open mouth like a huge tongue. Another popular cup shape motif is the mythical Yali lion swallowing an elephant.

Apparently, the pata developed at one time from the katar (Indian dagger), going through several modifications of the guard and becoming hypertrophied. First, a protective plate was added to the catarrh to cover the wrist, then it was connected to the side metal strips. This design gradually transformed into a “plate glove” that covered the arm up to the elbow. The “handle glove” could be of a skeletal type - made of metal crossed strips (probably earlier forms) or made in the form of the heads of mythical animals.
According to another version, it’s the other way around - in the beginning there was a stalemate, from which the Cathars originated by simplifying the design. But the truth is that both Qatar and Pata were in service during the same period of history.

Bhuj (also kutti, gandasa) is an Indian glaive-type weapon. It consists of a short handle (about 50 cm) connected to a massive blade in the form of a knife or cleaver. Thus, this weapon is similar to short options palm trees or dadao.
IN classic version The bhuja blade was quite wide and had a one-and-a-half sharpening, while it was distinguished by a double bend: closer to the handle it was concave, and towards the tip it was curved, so that the tip was directed upward relative to the handle. Along the center of the blade, from the tip to the level at which the butt began, there was a stiffening rib. The handle was often made of metal (steel, bronze, copper), less often of wood. In some cases, the bhuj was accompanied by a scabbard, usually made of wood and covered with velvet.
Thanks to the massive blade, this weapon could deliver powerful slashing blows, which is why one of its names meant “knife-axe.” In addition, the junction of the blade with the handle was sometimes made in the form of a decorative elephant's head, which is where another name comes from - “elephant knife”.

The name "bhuj" is derived from the city of the same name in Gujarat, where this weapon originates. It was widespread throughout India, especially in the north. There were also rarer variants, for example, those that had a handle with a guard, or that had a different blade shape. A bhuj is also known, combined with a percussion pistol, the barrel of which is located above the butt of the blade; A stiletto is inserted into the end of the handle opposite the blade. In southern India, an analogue of the bhuja was used - the verchevoral, which had a concave blade and was used to cut through thickets.

Driven - a klevet used in India in the 16th - 19th centuries.
Its name comes from the Persian word meaning "crow's beak", since it had this shape combat unit drove. The beak was made of steel in the form of a rather thin dagger blade, usually with a stiffening rib or fullers. The tip sometimes curved down towards the handle, in other cases the blade was straight. On the butt there was sometimes a decorative bronze figurine depicting, for example, an elephant. Less often, a small ax was made instead - such a weapon was called a tabar-driven one.

Mints of other types were less common. In particular, peckers with a round cross-section or faceted beak were in circulation. Quite exotic artifacts have also been preserved, one of which has 8 beaks at once, fixed so that in each of four sides 2 were directed, and ax blades were attached between them. Another specimen is similar to a tonga ax with a double forward-pointing tip.
The handle of the coins was made of wood or metal. Sometimes a stiletto could be inserted into the hollow metal handle on the opposite side of the combat part. These coins were one-handed weapons. Their total length ranged from 40 to 100 cm.

Haladi dagger.
The haladi had two double-edged blades connected by a handle. It was an attack weapon, although the slightly curved blade could easily be used for parrying. Some types of khaladi were made of metal, and were worn like brass knuckles, where another spike or blade could be located. These types of khaladi were perhaps the world's first three-bladed daggers.

Urumi (lit. - twisted blade) is a traditional sword, common in India in the northern part of Malabar. It is a long (usually about 1.5 m) strip of extremely flexible steel attached to a wooden handle. The excellent flexibility of the blade made it possible to wear the urumi concealed under clothing, wrapping it around the body.

In some cases, the length of such a sword could reach six meters, although one and a half meters can be considered the standard. Previously, such flexible swords were worn by assassins, remaining unnoticed for weapons. After all, this sword, as already mentioned, is very flexible, and can be wrapped around a belt.
A flexible sword is a rather dangerous weapon that requires martial arts. It can work both as a regular whip and as a sword. Interestingly, urumi can have not just one stripe, but several, which makes it powerful and very dangerous weapon in the hands of a true master.
Wielding this sword required good skills. Due to the fact that the urumi was very flexible, there was a serious risk of self-harm for the owner. Therefore, beginners began training with long pieces of fabric. Mastery of urumi is included in the complex of the traditional South Indian martial art of Kalaripayattu.

Kalaripayattu, as a martial art, was developed in the second half of the 16th century, despite the prohibitions of the British colonialists, who feared the emergence of an uncontrolled fighting structure. But, despite the bans, schools continued to train Kalaripayattu fighters. The primary rule of martial art for a warrior was perfect control of his body. The battle took place in conditions of incessant movement, instant lunges and dodges, jumps, coups and somersaults in the air.
The Kalaripayattu fighter was armed with a saber or dagger, a trident or a pike with a steel tip. Some masterfully wielded a long, double-edged sword. But the most terrible weapon was the Urumi sword. Several flexible blades, sharp as a razor, about two meters long, extended from the handle. The fight could have ended in the first second, since Urumi's movement was completely unpredictable. One swing of the sword sent the blades to the sides and their further movement was unpredictable, especially for the enemy.

The complex oriental bow was also well known in India. But due to the characteristics of the Indian climate - very humid and hot - such onions are not widely used. Having excellent damask steel, the Indians made small bows from it, suitable for horsemen, and bows for infantrymen were made of bamboo in the manner of the solid wooden bows of English archers. Indian infantry of the 16th–17th centuries. already quite widely used long-barreled matchlock muskets, equipped with bipods for ease of shooting, but there were always not enough of them, since in craft production they were produced in large quantities it was extremely difficult.

A feature of Indian striking weapons was the presence of a guard even on poles and maces.

Very interesting were Indian chain mail with a set of steel plates on the front and back, as well as helmets, which were used in India in the 16th–18th centuries. often made from separate segmental plates connected by chain mail weaving. Chain mail, judging by the miniatures that have come down to us, had both long and short sleeves up to the elbow. In this case, they were very often supplemented with bracers and elbow pads, often covering the entire hand.

Over the chain mail, mounted warriors often wore elegant bright robes, many of which had a additional protection gold-plated steel wheels. Knee pads, leg guards and leggings (chain mail or in the form of solid forged metal plates) were used to protect the legs. However, in India, metal protective shoes (as in other countries of the East), unlike the protective shoes of European knights, never became widespread.

Indian shield (dhal) from Rajasthan, 18th century. Made of rhinoceros skin and decorated with rock crystal umbons.

It turns out that in India, as well as in all other places, right up to the 18th century, the weapons of heavily armed cavalry were purely knightly, although again not as heavy as they were in Europe until the 16th century. Horse armor was also widely used here, or at least cloth blankets, which in this case were complemented by a metal mask.

Kichin horse shells were usually made of leather and covered with fabric, or they were lamellar or lamenar shells made of metal plates. As for horse armor, in India, despite the heat, they were popular until the 17th century. In any case, from the memoirs of Afanasy Nikitin and some other travelers, it can be understood that they saw cavalry there “entirely dressed in armor,” and the horse masks on the horses were trimmed with silver, and “most were gilded,” and the blankets were sewn from multi-colored silk, corduroy, satin and “Damascus fabrics”.

Bakhterzov armor for a war elephant, India, 1600

This is the most famous armor for the war elephant. It is on display at the Royal Armories in English city Leeds. It was made around 1600, and it arrived on the shores of Foggy Albion 200 years later.
Elephants fought in this armor in Northern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Today this is the largest elephant armor in the world, which is officially registered in the Guinness Book of Records.

Scale armor for a war elephant, India, 17-18 centuries

Metal plates are sewn onto a base, such as leather. Some of the plates are made of yellow metal, like tiles. Each plate overlaps several neighboring ones, which allows for stronger protection and thinner plates. Thanks to thinner and lighter plates, the weight of the entire armor is also reduced.

Plate armor for a war elephant

Most people are well aware of the edged weapons of Japan, Europe and Turkey. But, for example, Indian weapons remain an unknown mystery for many.

Which is somewhat strange, since India has a large population, a large territory, not to mention an outstanding culture and history.

Among Indian weapons, the katar, khanda, and talwar stand out especially, and it is about the latter that I want to write a few words. We will talk about the “Indian saber”.

The appearance of the talwar is typical for sabers - the blade is of medium width, slightly curved, sharpening can be one and a half, but this is not necessary. There are variants of the talwar both with and without elmanya. There may be a fuller on the blade of the talwar, but most often it is not there. In some cases, the valley may even be end-to-end; movable balls made of various materials are sometimes inserted into it.

The main difference between the talwar and other sabers is, first of all, its disc-shaped pommel of the hilt. Also, this saber must have a “ricasso” (heel), even if it is small. The blade length can be from 60 to 100 cm, width - from 3 to 5 cm in the ricasso area.

The handle of the talwar is straight, with a thickening in the middle, and is designed exclusively for one hand. The disc-shaped pommel prevents the weapon from being lost and gives this saber a unique look. It is often richly decorated, as are the hilt and guard. The latter can have either a straight shape, or an S-shaped or D-shaped one.

The ornaments decorating the talwar usually contain geometric shapes, images of animals and birds. On the weapons of the rich you can see inlay with precious stones or enamel.

The Talwar has been around since the 13th century and was a very popular weapon in northern India. Especially among the Rajputs, representatives of the Kshatriya caste, who used these weapons right up to the 19th century.

Bladed weapons of the Indo-Iranian region. Sabers

But Hindustan is famous not only for straight and curved swords, some of which we have already examined in the previous article.

Since the Muslim invasions, light sabers have increasingly replaced swords. Western researchers determine the type of saber (and some swords) by the shape of the handle.

This view does not seem entirely correct. It is necessary to consider the object as a whole - the handle and the blade. In some cases, a double name is possible. But more on that later. Now let’s begin our acquaintance with the sabers of the Indo-Iranian region.

Talwar, or “tulwar”, is the most common saber in the Indo-Iranian region, which can be considered typically Indian. According to ancient Indian literature, the talwar was considered one of the ten weapons of the gods. The blade is flat or lenticular in cross-section, often one-and-a-half sharpened, weakly or moderately curved, of medium width, always with a ricasso - that is, its cutting edge of the blade begins 5-7 cm from the handle, and a small unsharpened “platform” remains behind the crosshair. In later talwars, the blade has a pronounced expansion at the tip - elman. The blade can be either with or without fullers. Sometimes the valley was made through, and a number of metal balls or even pearls were placed there, which rolled freely. With the advent of Europeans in the region, combat blades from Europe began to be actively used, the handles of which were simply replaced with a tulvar one. The hilt of the talwar deserves special attention. The handle is barrel-shaped, with a thickening in the center, the pommel is disc-shaped, slightly inclined, with a dome-shaped protrusion in the middle, the cross is straight, short, with widened ends. There is often an s-shaped bow. But there is also a d-shaped one. The scabbard was made of wood and covered with velvet or leather. On the scabbard of “rich” talwars, the mouth and tip were made of metal. Talwar length is 90-120 cm.

A talwar with a very wide blade is called a tega, or tega. It is not found often, and is generally considered to be an executioner's weapon, although Egerton writes that it was military weapon. In general, talwars were very common among warriors of different incomes. It could be a simple weapon of a warrior, or a richly decorated blade of a rajah.

No less common was a saber of Iranian origin - shamshir, or “shamshir” - “lion’s claw”. The blade of this saber is narrow but thick, usually longer than that of the talwar, and has a greater curvature, which allows for the most effective blows when chopping. In cross-section it is lenticular or flat. Ricasso and Elmani - no. The handle is simple, with a slight bend under the little finger, directed towards the blade, allowing for better grip on the saber. It consists of two bone or, less commonly, horn cheek pieces riveted to the shank. At the bottom, the cheeks are additionally fixed with a steel cap, and at the top with a steel simple straight crosshair with small elegant splints (metal linings that reinforce the blade in the guard area), which give strength to the weapon in the most loaded place. In richly decorated shamshirs, the crosshair, cap and metal parts of the scabbard could be made of precious metals, decorated with niello, enamel, incisions or stones. The scabbard of the shamshir is curved in such a way that it allows you to remove the blade without the need for a slot, which is found on the scabbard of Turkish curved sabers. The scabbard was made of wood and covered with leather, which was often decorated with embossing or embroidery with silk thread. The tip of the scabbard could be metal, but more often it was made of leather or was absent altogether. But two clips were required, by which the shamshir was hung from the belt.

In general, it should be noted that the Indians sought to acquire richly decorated shamshirs of Persian work with damask steel blades, which were considered a status item. Often the head of an animal was depicted on the hilt (for example, a cap was made in the form of it). At the same time, many now believe that according to Muslim customs, the depiction of people and animals anywhere was prohibited, and this could only be done in a stylized manner, for export to another country and for very expensive copies. Allegedly, violation of this rule was considered religious sacrilege and threatened with the loss of one's head. And shamshirs with images of animals on the handle are made exclusively for India. In fact, this is not entirely true. Muslims are divided into two branches: Sunnis and Shiites. Sunnis are indeed forbidden to depict people and animals, therefore, for example, on Turkish weapons we will see only floral patterns, sayings from the Koran and signatures of weapon masters and owners. But the Shiites, which include the Persians, left us a lot of magnificent miniatures on silk and paper, as well as images of people and animals on armor and weapons. So, for example, the “torment scenes” carefully worked out on the blades, when an eagle kills a swan or a leopard kills an antelope, and images of people on the handles are quite typical for Iranian weapons. And on Persian shields you can generally see everyday, hunting, and battle scenes. These same miniatures reveal an interesting fact to us. It turns out that shamshir and talwar were widely used in hunting. The horseman chased the game (and it could be both ungulates and predators) and chopped it down with a saber.

But let's return to using shamshir. This is definitely a horseman's weapon. Its curved shape is dictated by functionality, the desire to expand the capabilities of the blade when striking from above when attacking enemy infantrymen. Some authors believe that the shamshir is ideally suited for war on horseback and in shoulder-to-shoulder formations. Although one can argue with the latter. But what is important to note is that the best shamshirs, whose blades are forged from damask steel, are only suitable for combat with an enemy not protected by chain mail or armor. It is impossible to cut chain mail, much less plate armor, with a damask shamshir. Damask shamshir is very sharp, but also very fragile. He is powerless against armor. But cutting down enemy warriors unprotected by armor is another matter, especially if they are running. By the way, when they talk about the properties of damask shamshir, I remember famous story about how Richard the Lionheart and Sultan Saladin argued about whose blade was better - the English sword or the eastern saber? Richard, according to legend, cut an iron bar with a heavy knight's sword, leaving no jagged marks on the blade. Saladin pulled out a damask saber, turned the blade upward and tossed the handkerchief. The handkerchief touched the blade and was cut into two halves. What kind of saber was in Saladin’s hands - history is silent. But it is likely that it was also a shamshir.

Returning to the problems of the name of sabers, which I mentioned earlier, it must be said that the shamshir blade was often placed on a talvar handle. Many English-language authors call such a saber a talvar. In my opinion, it is more correct to say shamshir with a talwar handle or talwar with a shamshir blade. This defines the subject more accurately.

Separately, I would like to consider a blade typical of Sri Lanka, formerly called Ceylon. This island is inhabited mainly by Sinhalese. The Sinhalese are Indo-Aryans, usually of medium height, “small-boned”, with Caucasian facial features and dark skin. The saber (sword), as in many other cultures, was an important symbol of royal power for the Sinhalese. In the texts describing the reign of Vijayabahu IV (second half of the 13th century), it is mentioned that swords constitute the king’s wealth, however, along with other treasures. The Europeans who colonized the island in the 16th century (first the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and at the end of the 18th century the British) noted an increased attention to weapons, especially at the royal court. They wrote that noble people carried a short sword at their side in their belt. And only the king, when he makes his exit, has a sword with him, which is held by a sling over his shoulder. The hilt and scabbard of the royal sword are made of gold.

Kastane is the same Sinhala sword, or rather a half-saber. It is really short - 50-70 cm. The blade is slightly curved and sharpened on one side, like a regular saber. Moreover, castane blades are usually European, Dutch-made. Closer to the hilt, the blade may have a brass or gold notch in the form geometric shapes, most often - triangles. The hilt is made of dark horn or wood, which can be lined with embossed sheets of silver or gold, if these are sabers of aristocrats. The head of the handle is always shaped like the head of a dragon (or a dragon-like monster). The eyes of this dragon can be made of brass (on horn handles) or precious stones, most often - rubies (on handles made of gold and silver). The guard is complex in shape and made of iron inlaid with brass or coated with valuable metals. One of the iron “mustaches,” the longer one, covers the fingers and ends with a small dragon’s head, the other two, also with dragon heads, are short, curve toward the blade and apparently serve a decorative function. Quite powerful splints that fit onto the blade between the short mustache of the guard additionally strengthen the blade in the handle. The origin of a handle of this shape is not entirely clear. But, most likely, according to Western weapons experts, it is associated with the shape of the hilts of Portuguese swords of the 15th century or Arab sabers of the nimcha type. Both versions are trustworthy. It was the Portuguese who were the first Europeans to land in Sri Lanka, and the Sinhalese had trade relations with the Arabs from about the tenth century. The appearance of dragon-like heads as a decorative element undoubtedly occurred under Hindu influence. Moreover, the “dragons” in kastan are very similar to the South Indian ones mythical monsters, images of which can be found on weapons and bas-reliefs of temples. The teak scabbard on outstanding examples, like the hilt, is covered with hammered plates of silver and gold. Probably, on simpler castanas the scabbard was without metal covers. This can also explain the fact that almost no scabbards for them have survived.

Completing short review bladed weapons Indo-Iranian region, I would like to return to the title of the series of articles the reader read - “ Bringing death" Once upon a time, all these blades were really forged in order to shed the blood of the enemies of their owners. Today they are amazing witnesses of the past, peacefully stored in museums and private collections, continuing centuries later not only to delight the eye with the elegance of their lines and decoration, but also helping us to better understand the history of the East.

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Weapon type: Saber

Talwar, talwar, tulwar (talwar) - edged bladed weapon, Indian saber. This weapon appeared around the 13th century or a little later and was used until the 19th century. The Talwar was most common during the Mughal era in Northern India, and was also a popular weapon among the Rajputs (a people of the Punjabi group living in India and Pakistan).
- IN military history India "Talwar" is the most common term to define the word "sword". According to ancient Indian literature, "Talwar" is one of the ten weapons of the gods. According to legends, the gods who personified Good used these tools in the fight against demons who personified Evil.
- Blade of forged patterned steel, pronounced curvature. A clear, beautiful pattern can be traced along the entire length of the blade.
- On the butt there are traces of forging, characteristic of the making of Indian blades.
- The hilt of the talwar deserves special attention. It consists of a handle made together with a crosshair and pommel.
- Steel handle, widened in the middle part.
- The handle goes into a crosshair and ends in a disc-shaped pommel with a protrusion.
- Cross handle with straight ends, ending on the sides with decorative, three-part extensions and flat guides in the center of the blade.
- A protective s-shaped bow extends from the end of the cross.
- Wooden scabbard, covered with leather (old, not restored).
- It is an antique item, a weapon of historical and cultural value.
*GENUINE ITEMS OF EASTERN COMBAT WEAPONS MADE BY REAL MASTERS OF THE PAST*
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- length of the talwar is 86 cm.
- blade length 74 cm.
- blade width 33 mm.
- butt width 8 mm.

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