The tegha is a short Indian sword, often from the Punjab and defined by its broad blade that widens towards the point. These heavy bladed swords were designed for chopping and were ideal for cutting through cloth and leather armour.
This example is a high-status early 19th Century tegha.
The heavy 612mm blade has a flat spine that is 10mm thick tapering down to 6mm before narrowing sharply into the 140mm upper edge. The blade widens from 30mm to 34mm at the beginning of the double-edged section that terminates in a hatchet point. The quality blade retains a sharp fighting edge and is in good condition for its age and use, with spots of shallow pitting on the spine and mottled tarnish towards the point and along the blade on one side. The ricasso is 38mm wide and bears a maker’s mark.
The steel hilt has an oval baluster grip incorporating short, flower head quillons, clubbed languets and a small recurved knuckle-bow ending in a stylised leopard or flower head terminal. The disc pommel incorporates a shaped, flower-like disc with a dome and pierced ball finial. The hilt was ornately decorated in silver koftgari, much of which remains.
This is a well made and solid tegha dating to the early 19th Century.
