Tulwar sword (before 1919): Art, History and Details

Tulwar sword (before 1919) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

A tulwar sword is distinctive for its curved blade. Its name derives from the Sanskrit taravari, which means “one-edged sword.” This type of blade is efficient for sweeping strikes, making it a particularly ideal weapon for mounted cavalry-style combat. The iron handle has delicate floral ornamentation overlaid in gold.

Object facts

• Title: Tulwar sword
• Date: before 1919
• Culture: India
• Type: Arms and Armor
• Technique: iron with gold inlay; steel blade
• Dimensions: Overall: 81.3 cm (32 in.); Blade: 70.5 cm (27 3/4 in.)
• Collection: Indian Art
• Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
• Accession number: 1919.54

Collection credit

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance

Further reading listed by the museum

• American Art Association, New York. Ancient Arms and Weapons and Accoutrements. 7–8 February 1919.
• Gilchrist, Helen Ives. A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms & Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924.

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.