Baghnakh
| Baghnakh | |
|---|---|
|
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| Information | |
| Weapon type: | Stabbing weapon |
| Designations: | Tiger claw |
| Use: | Weapon, civil weapon |
| Creation time: | approx. 17th century |
| Working time: | til today |
| Region of origin / author: |
India |
| Distribution: | India |
| Handle: | metal |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Baghnakh ( Hindi : बाघनख , bāghnakh , dt .: Tiger's Claw ) is a medieval weapon from India, similar to the brass knuckles .
description
The Baghnakh is made of a piece of rectangular metal or a flat iron the width of a hand. A metal ring is attached to each end. 2 to 5 sharp claws are attached to the flat iron or the rectangular piece of metal, which are very similar to those of a (big) cat. Another version has only one ring to which a single claw is attached directly. This ring is attached to the ring or middle finger. The blade lengths vary from version to version. They originated around the 17th century.
Sometimes the claws of the Baghnakh were combined with the blade of the Bichwa dagger . There are also versions where the blade is attached like a fist knife .
use
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The index finger and the little finger are put through the rings on the outside. When you then close your hand, the fingers cover the outside of the sharp claws so that the weapon is hidden except for the retaining rings. The camouflage was increased if the retaining rings were adorned with precious stones and thus had the appearance of harmless finger rings . In combat, uncovered parts of the body or lightly clad parts of the body such as the neck or soft tissues are attacked.
A well-known use of the Baghnakh took place in 1659 by the Maratha leader Shivaji who killed the Bijapur general Afsal Khan in a duel .
literature
- E. Jaiwant Paul, Arms and Armor: Traditional Weapons of India , Verlag Roli Books, 2005, ISBN 978-81-7436-340-4 , pages 98, 100
- George Cameron Stone , Donald J. LaRocca, A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: in All Countries and in All Times , Courier Dover Publications, 1999, pages 86-87, ISBN 978-0-486- 40726-5
- Robert Elgood, Hindu arms and ritual: arms and armor from India 1400-1865 , Eburon Verlag, 2004, ISBN 978-90-5972-020-6
- James Gray, Live in Bombay , Richard Bentley Verlag London, 1852, pages 96–97 ( digital version PDF, 97 MB)
Web links
- Baghnakh at Asian Armors
- Baghnakh at Pitt River's Museum
- Baghnagh at Therion Arms
- Baghnagh at Therion Arms
- Baghnagh at Oriental-Arms: [1] , [2] , [3]