Wootz Spear Thin

Object/Artifact

-

Leviathan: The Archit Patel Collection

The image depicts a spear lying on a marble floor. The spear has a long, slender wooden shaft with a natural, light brown finish that shows the grain of the wood and slight variations in color. Near the bottom, the shaft features an ornate metal end cap, adding a decorative touch. The top of the spear is fitted with a metal spearhead, which is pointed and features intricate designs along the blade, indicating a level of craftsmanship. The combination of the detailed spearhead and the wooden shaft gives the weapon a traditional yet elegant appearance. The marble floor beneath the spear is white with grayish veins running through it, providing a neutral background that highlights the spear itself.

The image depicts a spear lying on a marble floor. The spear has a long, slender wooden shaft with a natural, light brown finish that shows the grain of the wood and slight variations in color. Near the bottom, the shaft features an ornate metal end cap, adding a decorative touch. The top of the spear is fitted with a metal spearhead, which is pointed and features intricate designs along the blade, indicating a level of craftsmanship. The combination of the detailed spearhead and the wooden shaft gives the weapon a traditional yet elegant appearance. The marble floor beneath the spear is white with grayish veins running through it, providing a neutral background that highlights the spear itself.

Name/Title

Wootz Spear Thin

Entry/Object ID

349; Full Code: 349.14.51-PA-NB

Tags

Pole Arm

Description

This is a significant hybrid artifact that combines 18th-century metallurgy with modern regional craftsmanship. It features an antique Wootz steel spear head, expertly mounted on a seasoned bamboo shaft, and finished with a custom end cap (butt-spike) by a master artisan from Viramgam, Gujarat. Core Components & Craftsmanship The Spear Head (Antique Wootz): The head is forged from Wootz (crucible steel), identifiable by the high-contrast "watered" pattern (Jauhar) across the blade's surface. It features a robust triangular/leaf-shaped profile with a prominent central ridge for maximum structural rigidity. The tip is reinforced for armor penetration, a hallmark of Indian Barchis used to defeat quilted armor and mail. The Mounting (The Socket): The head is joined to the shaft via a long, integral steel socket. This transition is critical for energy transfer; the length of the socket ensures that the bamboo does not split under the immense leverage of a thrust. The Shaft (Solid-Core Bamboo): You have selected a seasoned "Male" Bamboo shaft. In your professional "Process reliant" framework, bamboo is the ideal engineering choice: its longitudinal fibers provide incredible tensile strength and natural shock absorption, making it less likely to snap than solid wood. The Viramgam End Cap (Butt-Spike): The base of the shaft features a custom-forged steel end cap from Viramgam. This piece is segmented with traditional decorative "bead" work. Mechanically, it serves two purposes: it balances the forward weight of the Wootz head for better handling and provides a secondary striking point for close-quarters "grappling" combat.

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Unknown Artisan

Date made

circa 1700 - circa 1750

Time Period

18th Century

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Region

North India

Dimensions

Dimension Description

16"

Length

7 in

Material

Wootz

Condition

Overall Condition

Excellent

Acquisition

Acquisition Method

Purchase

Place

City

Udaipur, Rajasthan