Two-Handed Sword
probably 19th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Khasi dao is a form of two-handed sword used by the Khasi people inhabiting the hills to the south of the Brahmaputra valley. Although a well balanced two-handed sword, their principal role is in religious ceremonies related to the agricultural cycle.
Its distribution is not just confined to the Khasi hills. Variants of it form part of the religious practices of the Ao and Lhota Nagas and the Bodo people. Among the Ao where they are referred to as noklang, three times a year a mithun (a forest-dwelling relative of the water buffalo) is sacrificed to ensure the goodwill of the gods and safeguard the rice harvest. During the ritual, a pair of noklang are placed upright in the ground by their tangs. If one of the noklang falls over during the ceremony, it is considered a bad omen for the harvest.
Its distribution is not just confined to the Khasi hills. Variants of it form part of the religious practices of the Ao and Lhota Nagas and the Bodo people. Among the Ao where they are referred to as noklang, three times a year a mithun (a forest-dwelling relative of the water buffalo) is sacrificed to ensure the goodwill of the gods and safeguard the rice harvest. During the ritual, a pair of noklang are placed upright in the ground by their tangs. If one of the noklang falls over during the ceremony, it is considered a bad omen for the harvest.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Steel forged and welded with incised brass |
| Brief description | Two-handed sword Khasi dao steel iron and brass, incised, Assam, 19th century |
| Physical description | The handle and blade are continuous. The handle is in three sections welded together, the top section being of brass, the others of steel. Ornamental bands of brass cover the joints of the sections. The cross piece is of split steel soldered on with brass. A spike, parallel to the cross piece, pierces the handle approximately halfway between the cross piece and the pommel. The pommel is in the form of a fish-tail loop. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | |
| Summary | The Khasi dao is a form of two-handed sword used by the Khasi people inhabiting the hills to the south of the Brahmaputra valley. Although a well balanced two-handed sword, their principal role is in religious ceremonies related to the agricultural cycle. Its distribution is not just confined to the Khasi hills. Variants of it form part of the religious practices of the Ao and Lhota Nagas and the Bodo people. Among the Ao where they are referred to as noklang, three times a year a mithun (a forest-dwelling relative of the water buffalo) is sacrificed to ensure the goodwill of the gods and safeguard the rice harvest. During the ritual, a pair of noklang are placed upright in the ground by their tangs. If one of the noklang falls over during the ceremony, it is considered a bad omen for the harvest. |
| Bibliographic reference | Rawson, P.S., The Indian Sword, London, Herbert Jenkins, 1968, p.62-5, fig.35. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 330-1875 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest Feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest Feedback
| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest