Gurj - Grahpuchch

Object/Artifact

-

Leviathan: The Archit Patel Collection

The image displays an elegant and intricately designed mace, resting diagonally across a marble floor with white and gray veining. This weapon features a detailed basket hilt that encloses almost the entire grip, providing substantial hand protection. The hilt is ornately crafted with metal that shows signs of wear and aging, suggesting it might be an antique or part of a historical collection. At the guard, there is an oval ring which further enhances the sword’s defensive capabilities. The shaft itself tapers to a sharp point, optimized for thrusting, which aligns with the characteristics of a rapier, commonly used in the Renaissance and later for dueling and as a status symbol. The overall appearance of the sword, combined with its placement on the sophisticated marble flooring, highlights its significance, possibly as a collectible item or a decorative piece meant to evoke a sense of historical valor and artistry.

The image displays an elegant and intricately designed mace, resting diagonally across a marble floor with white and gray veining. This weapon features a detailed basket hilt that encloses almost the entire grip, providing substantial hand protection. The hilt is ornately crafted with metal that shows signs of wear and aging, suggesting it might be an antique or part of a historical collection. At the guard, there is an oval ring which further enhances the sword’s defensive capabilities. The shaft itself tapers to a sharp point, optimized for thrusting, which aligns with the characteristics of a rapier, commonly used in the Renaissance and later for dueling and as a status symbol. The overall appearance of the sword, combined with its placement on the sophisticated marble flooring, highlights its significance, possibly as a collectible item or a decorative piece meant to evoke a sense of historical valor and artistry.

Name/Title

Gurj - "Grahpuchch"

Entry/Object ID

190; Full Code: 190.4.35-BD-IM

Tags

Bludgeon

Description

This is a Gurj (traditional Indian mace), a formidable blunt-force weapon meticulously named "Grahpuchch" (meaning "Tail of a Planet" or "Comet"). This custom-made piece is a high-fidelity reconstruction of the heavy crushing weapons used by medieval Indian heavy cavalry and elite infantry. The Head: The mace head features a classic globular, flanged design. It consists of multiple radiating steel fins (flanges) designed to concentrate the force of a blow into a narrow area, effectively crushing plate armor or mail without the need for a sharpened edge. The top is surmounted by a decorative but functional steel finial, consistent with 17th-century Indo-Persian styles. The Shaft: The handle is an all-steel construction, providing the necessary weight and structural integrity to withstand high-impact strikes. The grip section is textured to prevent slipping and terminates in a broad hand-guard disc, a feature often seen in Maratha-style blunt weapons to protect the wielder's hand from sliding onto the head during a strike. The Pommel: It features a pointed pommel spike, allowing the weapon to be used for jabbing or thrusting in close-quarters combat where a full swing might be impossible.

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Sahib Singh

Date made

circa 2019

Ethnography

Cultural Region

* Untyped Cultural Region

Indian

Dimensions

Dimension Description

36"

Material

HCS

Acquisition

Acquisition Method

Custom Made

Place

City

Amritsar, Punjab

State/Province

Punjab