Tanjore Spear Butt, India
Chiselled Steel Spear Butt
Tanjore, South India
16th century
length: 30.5cm, weight: 658g
Heavy spear butts such as this example were used to counterbalance the weight of a spear head. This example of steel has two spheres to add weight and a pointy tip. The spherical weights are cast and chiselled with ribbed sides and leafy bordered top and bottom. The stem is faceted.
Elgood (2004, p. 193) illustrates a related spear butt which is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum, New York.
Overall, this is a fine, sculptural piece with obvious age. It was acquired in the UK and almost certainly has been in the UK since colonial times. For display purposes, it is able to stand in a solid and stable manner of its own accord.
References
Elgood, R., Hindu Arms and Ritual: Arms and Armour from India 1400-1865, Eburon, 2004.Provenance:
UK art market
Inventory no.: 3232
SOLD
This photograph of a warrior on horseback photographed at the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam near Trichinopoly in December 2014, shows a spear (the spear blade is missing) but at the other end, the spear butt can be seen clearly. The spear butt is similar to the example here.
