IWTB a Mughal Indian warrior (1500's-1800's)

[birdman]

Right now, I have 2 19th cy. talwars, an incomplete 19th cy. bazuband (missing straps & mitten), and a nice replica kulah khud helmet. Original stuff tends to be either cheap junk (unless you get in a good bid on Ebay), or very expensive. There are precious few "functional" replicas available, so I figure I may have to make the rest. I can probably use my original pieces, as they will be for show (renfests) and not for SCA combat.

[DeCalmont]

Do you want to narrow that down some, 300 years is quite a span. Surely there were some changes in there during that period.

[birdman]

Do you want to narrow that down some, 300 years is quite a span. Surely there were some changes in there during that period.

Not really a whole lot, from what I've seen, though I may be missing something. The biggest change seems to be a switch from riveted mail to butted mail some time in the 1700's.

[Robert of Canterbury]

an Italian travel guide from 1508,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20038986

[ruel]

Do you want to narrow that down some, 300 years is quite a span. Surely there were some changes in there during that period.

Not really a whole lot, from what I've seen, though I may be missing something. The biggest change seems to be a switch from riveted mail to butted mail some time in the 1700's.

Hi birdman,
DeCalmont is correct; Indian warriors of the Mughal period definitely did undergo major changes in both armor and weapons during that time. As a start, compare these descriptions in my notes for a 1500s yigit, 1600s ahadi, 1700s zamindar, and 1800s sardar:

http://www.forensicfashion.com/1526TimuridYigit.html
http://www.forensicfashion.com/1685MughalCavalry.html
http://www.forensicfashion.com/1751RajputNoble.html
http://www.forensicfashion.com/1799SikhCavalry.html

As you can see, the elements you already own would be appropriate for about the mid-1700s on, but not earlier.

[Karl Helweg]

Since this "I wanna be" thread already exists, I would appreciate any information (especially illustrations) of 19th century Sindhi soldiers. Obviously this is not for SCA.

https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 8782_n.jpg

This was my wife's recent birthday present. She already has an assortment of sharp-n-pointies, Indian clothes, and the likes to begin building a SP outfit.

[ruel]

Hopefully these few notes will help: http://www.forensicfashion.com/1783SindiWarrior.html

Was this a gift to your wife, or by your wife to you?

[Karl Helweg]

Hopefully these few notes will help: http://www.forensicfashion.com/1783SindiWarrior.html

Was this a gift to your wife, or by your wife to you?

Thank you. I do not know how much armouring up she will do yet since it does not look like there have been any female warriors in that region for a millennia or so. Do you happen to have images of 19th century Sindhi fighting clothes? British militia uniforms? Shoes/boots? Head gear?

I was just making a routine visit to our local gun shop, RAYCO, and saw this rather distressed jezail on the rack. It was just taped together and the tape was even rotting off. I took a picture just in case any of the black powder folks might be interested. When my wife saw it I was thoroughly lambasted for forgetting that "she had told me several times that she really wanted a jezail (and two other specific guns)." Now I ask you, if your wife told you that she wanted a jezail would you have been able to forget such a random request???? My memory is not that bad yet. Any way she had just had a birthday so we made a quick trip to RAYCO after church and I have been working on it since.
I do not think that the lock is the original since it does not line up but the wood is still pretty nice and the barrel is surprisingly heavy and probably safe to shoot. Since so many venues are fascistly (Freudianly) anti-gun she has asked me to NOT make it fireable for the time being. I still need to weld-repair the tang and replace the missing brass band with the forward sling mount.

Although I rather like the looks of authentic Sindhi powder flasks, she is a North Carolina girl and wants a powder horn that looks like a horn so I found her one inlaid with abalone.

http://onemvweb.com/mvebay/T-2419.jpg vs

[ruel]

I'm afraid I don't have anything specifically Sindhi, though I have compiled some notes on their neighbors to each side -- 19thc Afghans and Rajputs:

http://www.forensicfashion.com/1842AfghanWarrior.html

http://www.forensicfashion.com/1751RajputNoble.html
http://www.forensicfashion.com/1858RajputPrince.html

All these folks seem to have used the same basic men's costume of loose top shirt and loose trousers ca. 1800, and these can easily be found today because they're still in use. On the other hand, you're lucky to have found that gun since it's much rarer than the more common jezail like I have. Mine has a Tower flintlock and appears to be in working order, but I've never fired it.

I suppose this all depends on how "masculine" you and your wife want her to look. Another option (one I'd try, if in your position) would be to convince her to let you be the warrior with the gun, and her be a bellydancer or something similarly feminine and attractive. You could let her borrow some smaller weapon to appease her warrior spirit, like I did here:

[Karl Helweg]

Thank you again. These are the sorts of clothing items that she is looking for.