scimitar

Nepalese short-sword, kora, made from pattern-welded steel. The heavy blade is of conventional form with an “elephant’s ear” shape at the tip. The hilt has two disc-shaped guards, and the pommel is surmounted by a stepped finial shaped like a stupa. The scabbard is covered with blue velvet. It is unusual to find a pattern welded kora which has been treated to show the pattern so vividly: such treatment is however commonly found on blades from Indonesia and Malaysia, especially kris blades.

For a discussion of pattern welding, see M. Sachse “Damascus Steel. Myth, history, technology, applications� Dusseldorf, 1993.

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
26.11.60/1i
Date
18th or 19th century
PLACE
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
overall: 584.2 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
metal; steel
CATEGORY
Anthropology: Ethnography
LOCATION
In storage
SHAREABLE LINK

Continue exploring anthropology

Collection Information

These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.

The database retains language taken from historical documents to help research. Please note that some records may feature language and reflect systems of thinking that are outdated and offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.

If you have any further information about objects in our collections, can suggest corrections to our information or if you see content requiring immediate action, please contact us: enquiry@horniman.ac.uk