This peculiar sword was used by the Garo people of Assam for fighting, clearing the jungle, and animal…

Head #1 27.1 cm
Head #2 25 cm
Butt spike 24.4 cm
Head #1 190 grams
Head #2 202 grams
Butt spike 319 grams
Iron, steel
North India
18th-19th century
From a European private collection
Description
Two utilitarian North Indian spearheads and a spear butt spike. Both spearheads have a faceted socket and a head attached by welding it to a triangular projection from the socket. The narrow head has a thickened armor-piercing style bodkin point. The wider bladed one has a more conventional tapering.
Most likely Rajasthani. Such unadorned pieces can be rather hard to date, but probably 18th-19th century.




These mysterious weapons were already obsolete when the first ethnographers encountered them.
A 19th-century type with an etched blade, simulating patterned steel.
Of jambiya form, with pattern welded blade and fine silver scabbard mounts.