1943.6.87.1

Collection type

Object

Description

Sword [.1] with straight single edged blade and wooden hilt, in an open wooden sheath [.2] [SM 19/11/2007]

Long description

Sword [.1] with straight single edged blade and wooden hilt, in an open wooden sheath [.2]. The blade is decorated on one surface with two stamped semi circles with dots. The hilt has a slight wooden guard and a grip that is bound with bands of silver wire. It also has a silver band at the join between the blade and the hilt and two silver rosettes held in place with copper alloy nails. A third rosette is missing. The sheath is made from a single piece of wood. It is slightly flared towards the tip, with one copper alloy band to hold the sword in place, a second band is missing. There are two holes in the sheath near the mouth. These have a length of string through them. Attached to the string is a woven carrying strap. It is made from many colours of yarn, but is now very dirty. [SM 19/11/2007]

Geographical reference

India

Asia > Southern Asia > India

Sikkim

Cultural groups

Lepcha

Person

Field collector Mrs A.H. Kiddell

PRM source Mrs A.H. Kiddell

PRM source Wellcome Historical Medical Museum

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1943

Date collected

By 1943

Acquisition information

Transferred: 1943

Materials and processes

Material Iron Metal, Material Wood Plant, Material Textile, Material Silver Metal, Material Metal Wire, Material Copper Alloy Metal, Material Ebony Wood Plant, Process Forged (Metal), Process Carved, Process Bound, Process Nailed, Process Stamped, Process Incised

Dimensions

Length: max 462 mm, Length: max 522 mm, Width: max 43 mm, Width: max 51 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1943.6.87.1 Accession number: 1943.6.87.2

Research and responses

The Lepcha (pop.50,000) are the indigenous people of Sikkim, broadly of Tibetan cultural origin. This is manifested in the substantially Tibetan form of this relatively unelaborated sword and scabbard. Warfare was generally uncommon among the Buddhist-Animist Lepcha, and generally practiced with bow and arrow. High quality Lepcha shortswords bear overlain decorative work in silver and brass, as well as cabochons of semi-precious stone – again, substantially Tibetan in form. More modest pieces exhibit simple brass bands holding the blade into the one-sided scabbard. Buddhist symbols can be found on swords from Nepal, Sikkim and West Bengal (Egerton, 1896: 100). Small lotus-flower rivets connote the individual’s potential to realise enlightenment and decrease karma, irrespective of the conditions of their birth – as the lotus produces a flower from waterlogged mud. The use of three rosettes here refers to the Buddhist 'Three Refuges' - the Buddha himself, Dharma (teachings) and the Sangha (the Buddhist community). Research Conducted for DCF Cutting Edge 2006/2007 [AM].

Search terms: Weapon, Sword, Sheath, Knife