elephant tusk sword
Illustration — Indian elephant sword on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2 ft long An elephant sword, also called a tusk sword, is an edged weapon designed to be attached to the tip of a war elephant's tusk, normally used in pairs. War elephants were used for centuries, primarily from Indian subcontinent to the Middle East, and were often armored. Made of iron or steel, elephant swords were probably used from a relatively early date.
Also recorded as elephant sword · tusk sword
elephant tusk sword
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- Field
- piercing-cutting weapon
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Illustration — Indian elephant sword on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2 ft long An elephant sword, also called a tusk sword, is an edged weapon designed to be attached to the tip of a war elephant's tusk, normally used in pairs. War elephants were used for centuries, primarily from Indian subcontinent to the Middle East, and were often armored. Made of iron or steel, elephant swords were probably used from a relatively early date.
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wikidata · Q2352514 · wikipedia · Elephant sword
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Overview
Over a thousand years ago, elephants equipped with steel-tipped tusks were reportedly effectively used in battle. An elephant could toss an enemy in the air and cut him in two. Sometimes the blades were coated with poison. The Russian merchant Afanasii Nikitin recorded the use of these weapons in India in the 15th century. A Persian illustration titled "The Battle of Pashan Begins" from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, from Tabriz circa 1530s, shows an elephant in battle equipped with elephant swords (the battle depicted occurred centuries earlier). It is possible that thousands of elephant swords were manufactured over a large span of time, but only four pairs, plus a single specimen are known to exist today. Another pair is in the Ganga Golden Junilee Museum while the fourth is held by the Royal Armouries Museum. The unpaired specimen is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Elephant tusk sword is a piercing-cutting weapon or weapon type.
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reference work
- “Elephant sword”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
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- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2352514: elephant tusk sword
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