The Golia is an extremely curved sword hailing from the Punjab in northwest India. The name Golia derives from the Punjabi word for circle. The Golia blade is similar to the Persian Shamshir but has a Tulwar-style hilt and usually has a broader blade. The Golia was developed for fighting in the confines of a fort and the maze-like narrow city streets.
The 712mm very curved blade has a flat spine and terminates in a double-edged spear point. The blade has two narrow fullers on each side and is single-edged, becoming double-edged for the last 260mm. The blade is in very good condition with minimal age related marks and tarnish and is firm in the hilt.
The steel hilt is of typical tulwar form with dome finials to the crosspiece and pierced, clubbed languets. The disc pommel incorporates a pierced, decorative disc with a central dome finished with a round pommel stud.
This is a good example of a scarce northwest Indian fighting Golia dating to the 19th Century.
