Ancient Indian Empires and Weapons

[Shaitan]

Toe stirrup used - first of it’s kind, and also used in military application. This horse rider has an interesting saddle for the time period.

 

[Shaitan]

Interesting saddle design for the period

Light Cavalry were the most common, these could be bases for them

 

[Shaitan]

Horse Archer, this has to be rare, but here is a model in the art work. This is a battle scene, with a dedicated horse archer with 4 quivers full of arrows. He’s using a very long bow.

 

[Shaitan]

Could be charioteers, but they’re covered in some sort of armor.

Well armored soldier, head is well encased, has a neck guard.

Helmet with a plume like in the western style. Has ear flaps, and also has the same neck guard like the above example.

Heavy Cavalry, rare, but these could be bases for such a unit.

Most are unarmored, “rushers”.

Armored War Elephants, seem to be rare, but here’s an example of a well armored war elephant. This elephant seems to have a chanfron for head protection or decoration, much of the body is padded. The rider is well protected as well, with his longbow hanging down, within reach.

War Elephants

 

[Shaitan]

Charioteer with two female guards with composite bows

Charioteer with scale armor, long recurved bow, with crescent shaped arrow head.

Possible Charioteers covered in armor

Chariot, two to four horses pulled

 

[Shaitan]

Most common shield in ancient India. “Bell” shaped shield that covers much of the body. This style seems to die out around the Gupta period.

Long, curved shields, this style becomes even more popular around the Gupta period

 

[Shaitan]

Other shields, less common than the bell shaped shields

Shields, mostly bell shaped.

 

[Shaitan]

 

[Shaitan]

Broadsword, seems to be the most common. The ancestors to the medieval Khanda. Similarly, both can give a devastating blow. A lot of these also flares to the tip, has more weight on the tip.

Curved Swords, forward curved swords, a influence from the Greeks. This style becomes even more popular in the Gupta period. Unlike the broadswords new avatar, “Khanda”, this ancient popular style will die out all over the subcontinent except in Nepal, “ Kukri”.

Swords

These are some units relevant to ancient Indian armies from Late Maurya period to the Late Satavahana period. 3rd Century BC to 1st Century AD. Not for Gupta period.

 

[Shaitan]

Gupta Era Art - Lancer Models.

2nd-4th Century AD, Mathura. Little earlier than the Guptas, but a good model of an lancer with scale armor on.

Same Date from Mathura, Wearer has scale armor on.

Ajanta Paintings, Vakataka-Gupta Era. Attendant wearing a coat of scale.

Two Gupta Macemen with Scale Armor

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Maratha Warships Grabs and Gallivats attacking a British east India company`s sloop 'Aurora', of the Bombay Marine, 1812

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In the early 19th century British ships were still vulnerable to surprise attacks by Marathas, who used their knowledge of the sea and local conditions to full advantage. The ‘Aurora’ was a 14-gun sloop of 247 tons, launched at Bombay in 1809 for the Bombay Marine - the armed naval force run in the Eastern seas by the East India Company, mainly for trade defence: it became the Royal Indian Marine in 1830 and subsequently the basis of the modern Indian navy. In September 1809 'Aurora' was one of the joint naval and Bombay Marine squadron which went to the Persian Gulf to suppress Arab raiders operating out of Ras al-Khaimah, with only limited effect at that point. Maratha Navy in the Bay of Bay of Bengal were a longstanding problem for the Company and three wars were fought against the Mahratta Empire: 1775–1802, 1803–05, and 1817–18.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Maratha Warships are unique and recognized by their bows, Their naval fleet then consisted of 10 Gurabs/Grabs (warship) and 50 Gallivats (warboat). Grabs were as big as 400 tons and the Gallivats could go up to 120 tons. Their is even stamp made on it ..

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Maratha Soldiers paintings ..

 

[Kunal Biswas]

ADGPI-INDIAN ARMY
Published on Oct 13, 2016

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[Shaitan]

The disk pummel

Guptas, 4th-6th Century AD

Pallavas, 7th Century AD

Cholas, 10th-11th Century AD

Hoyslas, 12th Century AD

 

[Sharang Inamdar]

The disk pummel

Guptas, 4th-6th Century AD

Pallavas, 7th Century AD

Cholas, 10th-11th Century AD

Hoyslas, 12th Century AD

So looks to me like the circular, smaller shield was an innovation of the south. Would this be a logical conclusion? Also, how common do you think were armoured infantry? Seems difficult for me to believe that the Mauryan army could have beaten a Greek army (Seleucid - we know they did beat this army) without armoured infantry!

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Not ancient, Some of the largest Cannons from Medieval Bharatvarsh..

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Jaivana cannon

This 280 mm, iron ball cannon belonged to the State of Jaipur. Jaivana was cast in 1720 by Jai Singh II and it seems it took four elephants to make it swirl around its axis!!. The cannon is large enough to fire a 50 kgs stone ball using hundred kgs of gun powder.

The Jaivana cannon is the largest wheeled cannon ever constructed. It is located at the Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur. It was cast in 1720, during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur. The formidable strength of its builder, the scientifically inclined warrior Sawai Jai Singh II, lay in the large number of artillery and copious supply of munitions which he maintained. Jaivan rests on a high 4 wheeled carriage. The front wheels are 2.74 m in diameter and the rear wheels are 1.37 m in diameter.The length of the barrel of the cannon is 20 feet 2 inches and it weighs 50 tons.

Its sheer size gives some idea of what a monumental task Jaivana's manufacture might have been. The 50 tonne cannon rests on six massive wheels, each 9 ft in circumference. The cannon is 31 ft long with a 20 ft barrel that can be raised or lowered by an 8 ft tall elevating screw. Four elephants were used to rotate it. The cannon is believed to have been fired only once- towards Chakshu, 22 km away. About 100 kg of explosives launched a 50 kg iron ball which created a huge depression when it landed. It is a pond now.

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Jahan Koshna

Made by another Karmakar brother, Janardan, this 286 mm iron ball shot cannon joined the powerful artillery at Murshidabad in West Bengal in 1637. Jahan Koshna or the “Destroyer of the World” weighs seven tonnes. The cannon is made of eight metals like silver, gold, lead, copper, zinc, tin, iron and mercury.

The Karmakars of Bengal are traditionally blacksmiths but Janardan and his brother Jagannath were dedicated gunsmiths. Janardan made this gun under the instructions of Hara Ballav Das of Dhaka.


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Dal Madan Kaman

The 286 mm iron ball shot cannon was made in 1565 by Jagannath Karmakar. It was commissioned by Maharaja Bir Hambir to protect the Malla kingdom. The name means “Destroyer of Enemy” – dal means enemy or horde and mardana means slayer.

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Thanjavur Cannon

This 250mm cannon was produced by Vikad Naikwade in 1620. This is an excellent example for bombarding canon.t belonged to the King of Thanjavur and was used in 1650 during the Nayak period to protect Thanjavur from the enemies who entered from the eastern gate of the city. This cannon was cast at Kollamendu near Thanjavur and joined the armoury in 1620.

25 ft long Cannon weighs 22Tonnes. The outer diameter is 37 inches and the inner dia 25 inches can fire a cannon ball (iron) of 1000 Kg weight. No wonder it finds fourth place in the list of Largest Cannons fired in the World History.This Cannon was named "Rajagopala Beerangi (Cannon), but popularly known as "Daasimettu beerangi" is placed on an elevated (25'high) defense barricade at the eastern Rampart of the Tanjavur Fort.

 

[Kay]

So looks to me like the circular, smaller shield was an innovation of the south. Would this be a logical conclusion? Also, how common do you think were armoured infantry? Seems difficult for me to believe that the Mauryan army could have beaten a Greek army (Seleucid - we know they did beat this army) without armoured infantry!

Mauryans had a 1000 year technological advantage over Greeks.

 

[Kay]

Biological weapons being countered by Sonic and Ultra Sonic Weapons (USW)... :biggrin2::biggrin2:

The Sonic weapon is a dud :biggrin2:

 

[Kay]

Another figure with this 360 neck collar. No neck collar, but has ear flap.

Maurya, 3rd Century BC

Surya, Mathura, showing scale armor, 3rd-4th Century AD

Crossbowmen, Sunga, 2nd Century BC

Very interesting to find a crossbowmen this late in Indian history

Never heard of crossbows in Indian history before