Weapon Wednesday

Monthly Archive: December Weap

Weapon Wednesday: Bagh Nakh--making humans into tigers

Posted: November 5, 2014 - 12:56 , by Deepali Dewan

The blades, like the tiger claws they are named for, are made to slash though an opponent and, in modern history, is most often associated with the Hindu Marati warrior Shivaji. Written by Aruna Panday

 

Weapon Wednesday: Chakram from India

Posted: September 24, 2014 - 12:38 , by Deepali Dewan

Written by Aruna Panday, Ph.D Candidate in the Department of Anthropology at York University, Friends of South Asia co-Chair, and Summer 2014 ROM curatorial intern.


Chakram or battle-quoit, made of wrought steel, India, 19th century, ROM 910.42.52

Weapon Wednesday: Swords from the Philippines

Posted: May 28, 2014 - 14:30 , by Robert Mason
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17-18th century Filipino sword #927.59.47 (photo W.C. Pratt)

The ROM's collecton of swords from the Phillipines is outlined in the context of the history and geography of the archipelago.

 

Weapon Wednesday: Preparing for ROM Revealed

Posted: April 17, 2014 - 16:39 , by Robert Mason
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Middle Eastern helmets

For ROM Revealed, part of our 100-year celebrations, we undertook a major re-organisation in some Collections and Research departments. Here we can see the improvements made in the storage of Asian Arms & Armour in anticipation of this momentous occasion.

Weapon Wednesday: The Indian Katar, a Necessary Dress Accessory

Posted: February 12, 2014 - 15:45 , by Robert Mason
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In South Asia during the 16th to early 20th centuries all fashionable young men when visiting their ladies would want to dress at their best. This would include one very necessary dress acessory: the katar. This uniquely South Asian dagger is thought to have developed in the very southern part of what is now India. In the 17th century the type was adopted across South Asia, and became a standard dress accessory in the Mughal courts.

 

Weapon Wednesday: The Horse

Posted: January 29, 2014 - 14:42 , by Robert Mason
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Frieze from the tomb of Zuo Biao, sandstone 110cm long, dated by inscription to 150 AD, Eastern Han dynasty, Mamaozhuang village, China, # 925.25.22.N

Weapon Wednesday: The Long History of an Irish Bronze Age Sword

Posted: December 18, 2013 - 13:04 , by Robert Mason
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The Late Bronze Age sword and its 18th century grip.

The story of a sword made in Bronze Age Ireland.

Weapon Wednesday: Two daggers from Luristan, Iran

Posted: December 4, 2013 - 12:14 , by Robert Mason
ROM #938.35, the dagger of Marduk-shapik-zeri, 43.6 cm long (ROM Photography)

In museum circles the region of Luristan in the Zagros Mountains has a long association with the antiquities looted from tombs there in the 1920's and 30's. These objects seem to be primarily from the Early Iron Age (circa 1000 BC - 750 BC), and comprise an array of distinctive objects that include horse bridles and other equipment; fittings possibly associated with chariots; and an array of weapons, primarily of bronze.

Weapon Wednesday: The Burmese Dha

Posted: November 13, 2013 - 11:35 , by Robert Mason
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Burmese dha

Across South East and South Asia the traditional weapons often bear close affinities to the tools of the region...

Weapon Wednesday: Frankish "Seax" swords

Posted: October 23, 2013 - 15:28 , by Robert Mason
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In the 3rd century of the current era the term "Frank" was used by Romans and others to describe a group of Germanic tribes living in the Rhine valley. In the 4th century Franks settled within territory ruled by the Romans and were a recognised kingdom. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire the Frankish kingdom under their Merovingian kings spread over all of France (which to this day is named after this confederation of Germans).