Africa | The Islamic World | South Asia | East Asia | Japan
Africa
South of the Sahara lies a continent of enormous size, diversity, and cultural wealth. The arms and armor of precolonial Africa mirrors the complex cultural map of the region, from the Islamic styles near the Saharan trade routes, to the diverse local forms of the central African tribes, to the spears and shields carried by southern African herders to protect their livestock from predators.
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Za (throwing knife), probably 1800s |
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Kasuyu (ceremonial axe), 1800s |
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Short sword, 1800s |
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Ol alem (sword), probably 1800s |
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Shôtel (sword), 1800s |
The Islamic World
Islam emerged at the crossroads of the Mediterranean and Asian worlds. At its height, the empire of the Caliphs extended from Spain to India. The arms and armor that emerged in this region reflected both a shared Islamic culture and also the influx of a variety of external influences. The traditional mail shirt worn by warriors from the Maghreb to the Mughals had its origin in ancient Byzantium and Persia; the curved sword that became emblematic of Islam was rooted in the weapons carried by nomads from Central Asia.
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Shaffron, early 1500s |
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Mail and plate knee defense, probably 1600s |
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Bow case cover, 1600s |
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Ahmad (Ahmet) Karahisari, 1500s (script only) |
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Blade (1860-1 CE) by Shaban Ziya; hilt by Othman |
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Yataghan (sword), late 1700s |
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Blade inscribed "Assad Allah" |
South Asia
The Higgins Armory has a particularly rich collection of arms and armor from the Indian subcontinent, reflecting the cultural variety of the region. Traditional "Hindu' styles of sword can be traced back to the first millennium; with the coming of Muslim invasions in northern India after 1000, Islamic influences began to appear; and the arrival of European traders in the 1500s brought yet another strand into the mix.
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Pata (gauntlet sword), late 1500s-1600s |
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Breastplate to Baktar (cuirass), 1600s-1700s |
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"Nandaka" (sword of Vishnu), perhaps 1600s |
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Jamadhar (punch dagger), perhaps 1700s |
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Mail and plate torso armor, 1700s-1800s |
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Horned kulah khud (helmet), possibly mid-1800s |
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Khanda, 1800s |
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Dhal (shield), early or mid-1800s |
East Asia
The dominant presence in East Asia from ancient times has been China. Bronzemaking technology was developed here by 2000 B.C.E., and ironmaking after 1000 B.C.E. The Higgins collection tracks the evolutions and transformations of Chinese society, from the feudal weaponry of the ancient Zhou Dynasty, to the mass-produced infantry equipment of the classical Han Empire, to the antiquarian sidearms carried by officers in the army of the late Qing on the eve of the revolution of 1911.
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Helmet ("zhou"), perhaps late Shang or early Zhou dynasty (c. 1200-1000 B.C.E.) |
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Ge (dagger-axe), about 800-250 B.C.E. (Eastern Zhou Dynasty) |
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Jian (sword), about 500 B.C.E. (Eastern Zhou Dynasty) |
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Phur-pa (ritual dagger), perhaps 1800s |
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"Kingfisher" keris (dagger), 1800s |
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Officer's "willow-leaf saber" (liuyedao) of the late Qing period, end of the 1800s-early 1900s |
Japan
The Japanese collection at the Higgins Armory is especially strong. Japanese arms and armor was at first heavily influenced by China, but after 1000 C.E. it began to evolve along its own highly distinctive pathway. With the end of centuries of civil wars in 1603, arms ceased to play a practical role, but took on profound cultural significance, as samurai were encouraged to practice their traditional martial skills, and ambitious courtiers commissioned elaborate armors to win attention from the shogun.
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