There are a number of swords that originated in India and have seen their usage throughout the history of warfare.

Overview

In the Indian subcontinent, one of the earliest available Bronze age swords of copper was discovered by the period of Indus Valley Civilization. Swords have been recovered in archaeological findings throughout the Ganges-Yamuna Doab region of Indian subcontinent, consisting of bronze but more commonly copper.Allchin, pp. 111–14 Swords have been also discovered in Fatehgarh, where there are several varieties of hilt. These swords have been variously dated to times between 1700 and 1400 BC. Other swords from this period in India have been discovered from Kallur, Raichur. Allchin, F. R. in South Asian Archaeology 1975: Papers from The Third International Conference of The Association of South Asian Archaeologists in Western Europe, Held in Paris (December 1979) edited by J. E. van Lohuizen-de Leeuw. Brill Academic Publishers, Incorporated. 106–18.

In general, Indians have significantly used one-handed swords in order to carry the shield along with them. Nevertheless, there has been use of two-handed swords in India, such as by Naga people of Assam.Hank Reinhardt's The Book of Swords, Hank Reinhardt Baen Publishing Enterprises, p. 201-202

The Indian swords have been also used by ArabiansIndian Warfare: An Appraisal of Strategy and Tactics of War in Early Medieval Period Surinder Kumar Bhakari, p. 101 and Europeans since medieval times.The Sword and the Crucible: A History of the Metallurgy of European Swords Up to the 16th Century, p.35, Alan Williams, BRIL

Swords have culturally influenced the iconography and culture of India.The Indian Sword, p. 29-40 Sikhs consider swords to be holy and the Sikh emblem (Khanda (Sikh symbol)) depicts a doubled-edged sword surrounded by a circle and two curved swords.How and why Do Hindus Celebrate Divali?, Jean Mead, 2008, p. 29

List of Indian swords

Aruval Asi Ayudha katti Bichuwa Dao Firangi Gupti Hengdang Katar Kayamkulam vaal Khadga Khanda Kirpan Kukri Malappuram Kathi Moplah sword Pata Pesh-kabz Pichangatti Sirohi sword Talwar Urumi

See also

Chinese sword Japanese sword Korean sword

References