Double-bladed bichwa dagger. India, 19th century

Double-bladed bichwa dagger. India, 19th century.
Forged steel and iron, with incised decoration and gilded motifs.
It shows some loss of decoration and surface rust consistent with its age.
Measurements: 77 x 7 cm; depth of the mount: 32 cm.

This unique dagger belongs to the Indian type known as a bichwa, recognizable by its characteristic closed, loop-shaped hilt and its narrow, curved blades. Although single-bladed examples are more common, double-bladed variants such as this one are known; the Fitzwilliam Museum holds a 19th-century Indian bichwa with two steel blades and a loop-shaped hilt, originating from Ganjam and likely associated with the Tanjore arsenal.

In this example, the two parallel blades are attached to an iron hilt profusely decorated with incised plant and geometric motifs, enlivened by small gilded rosette-shaped elements. The combination of the weapon’s distinctly functional structure and its meticulous ornamental treatment is characteristic of the Indian bladed weapons tradition, in which the hilt also served as an important space for decorative expression.