RARE INDOPERSIAN HUNTING SWORD

Elaborately decorated hilt, overlaid in silver, with fully modeled ram’s head pommel. The grip with panels of a lion and tiger respectively attacking large prey. Additional formalized floral decoration. The image of a lion is rarely seen, however, the Asiatic lion flourished in India and other parts of Asia before the 19th century. It is now endangered. 30” broad wedge section blade chiseled with panels of foliage, tigers and elephants. Swords such as this were carried on the royal hunts which provided sport for the nobility while clearing territorial carnivores for expanding populations. The problem of man eating tigers came from human encroachment into previously undisturbed tiger territories. The royal hunts exterminated the resident tigers.