Sword
- Place of origin:
India (made)
- Date:
ca. 1800 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Unknown
- Materials and Techniques:
Watered steel, etched, gold overlay, wood
- Museum number:
IS.227:1-2006
- Gallery location:
In Storage
The curving, watered steel blade of this Indian sword is chiselled along its length on both sides with pairs of fighting animals. They include real animals such as elephants, lions and gazelles, and mythical ones such as dragons. The grip is of Iranian form, with a blunt-ended, recurved pommel, and has wooden gripshells. There are traces of gold overlay on the ricasso of the blade. The sword probably dates to the 18th century, and was almost certainly acquired by its owner, Captain Lyall, in India during his military career there in the late 19th century.
