Collection record · Objects & craft
Tulwar sword
The collection record classifies this work as arms and armor. It is dated 1700s. Recorded culture or place: India, probably Deccan.
Explore the object recordOBJECT RECORD
A closer look at the details.
- Museum title
- Tulwar sword
- Date
- 1700s
- Culture / origin
- India, probably Deccan
- Materials and technique
- Iron hilt with gold; steel blade with gold; wood scabbard with velvet and metallic thread
- Dimensions
- Overall: 96.6 cm (38 1/16 in.)
- Artist / maker
- Not specified by the museum
- Museum
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Accession number
- 1930.704
FROM THE MUSEUM
In the museum’s words
The following description is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art’s original English record.
This long curved sword and scabbard are of the kind used and worn by Mughal nobility, as seen often in paintings. The openwork hilt is a characteristic of swords from the southern Indian region known as the Deccan. By the end of the 1500s, the Mughals began making regular incursions into the Deccan as they attempted to expand their empire, increasing the exchange of art forms.
Repeated four times, twice on one side of the blade and twice on the other in gold inlay, is the same line from the Qur'an 61:13: “Help [comes] from God, and Victory is imminent.” This is a popular inscription on daggers, banners, and other instruments of war, as it reassures the combatants that God is on their side, and therefore they can in good faith expect a speedy victory if they fight valiantly.
FOLLOW THE SOURCE
Text and image sources
The Cleveland Museum of Art · Gift of S. D. Wright · CC0
The summary is based on public collection data. Refer to the museum’s latest record for the title, date and attribution.
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