Stock No..
s278

Ayda Katti, Coorg knife, India

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A very rare and seldom seen or discussed fighting knife of the Coorg tribes being the ethnic groups and tribes of the Karnataka state region known as Kodagu.
Being 52cms from tip to tip, this piece has a 39cm blade of forged construction showing a watered steel blade.
The hilt is timber covered in red resin and although votive in colour, the resin most likely also served to preserve the timber hilt.
Hilts of the Ayda Katti are also found in horn and ivory.
It appears, from the remaining silver nail to each side that there were silver rosette decorations to either side just below the stacked 'bolster'.
The hilt is dressed in silver sheet and silver nails. These remains in place but the lower sheet has slightly seperated on the kite shaped pommel that also shows some evidence of a repaired break. To the base of the pommel there is a sun and moon decoration in sliver.
It is understandable why these weapons are so seldom seen as nearly 10,000 blades from this region were confiscated by the British and dumped at sea in the 19th century.
A very rare large fighting knife with an original wrist lanyard.