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OCTOBER, 1905.) THE OOPPER AGE AND BRONZE IMPLEMENTS IN INDIA. 237
These remarkable copper implements in India, which run up to two feet in length, may be compared with the excessively long stone celts occasionally found in Europe, which are sometimes almost a foot long (Evans, 2nd ed. p. 130). The British Museum possesses nine bar-celts from Gangeria of various lengths.
The swords depicted in Plate III. seem to differ from any type recorded in Europe. The small one with widely divergent points to the hilt is marked in the Indian Museum as coming from a locality unknown, but is probably part of the Fathgarh find. Dr. Anderson's description of the longest sword, the middle one in the plate, may be quoted :
"Fh. 1. - A copper sword 2' 5'[15' in text].45 in length from the centre of the hilt to " the tip : greatest diameter at base of the blade 3.50, and 6' from the tip 2.28 ; thickness "at the base of the blade through the midrib 09:55, and 0.28 at one inch from the tip. The "handle is 4 long and 0"-45 in thickness, and 1"-28 in breadth, the distance between the “divergent points of the hilt being about 5":50. One side of the hilt is nearly flat and the "other slightly convex, and its sides bear unmistakable signs of having been hammered out. "The blade is covered with a thin layer here and there of the earth in which it was buried. "This sword weighs 4 lb. 11 oz."
The shorter two-pointed swords weigh respectively 5 lb. 4 oz. and 2 lb. 12 oz. The curious weapon with only one point to the hilt weighs 4 lb. 11 oz., and the dagger with widely divergent hilt-points weighs 13} oz.
The Itawa weapon is described as "a sword-blade, or broad-sword (23 tommers in length) with a peculiar hook on one side of the tang," composed of pure copper. This specimen, which was obtained along with a barbed harpoon-head of the same material from a landslip at the village of Niorai in the Itwa District, was presented with its companion by James Prinsep to the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries at Copenhagen. The weapon is identical in form with that presented by Sir W. Elliot to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, No. BS 634, which contained 3.83 per cent. of tin, and will be more fully described in the concluding section of this paper. 11
The Mainpuri and Bithor harpoon-heads have been proved by analysis (Anderson, Catalogue, App. D) to be composed of practically pure copper, like the Fathgah swords, and the celts above described. I call the barbed instruments harpoon- rather than spear-heads because they are lorge and heavy, and adapted for attachment by a cord to the shaft. They would have been well fitted for the chase of the Gangetic porpoise, or, perhaps, even of the crocodile. Their form is well exhibited in Plates I., II., and IV., but Dr. Anderson's description of the Bithor specimen in the Indian Museum, which is not figured, may be quoted :
"Br. 1. - It measures 12.30 in length, and now weighs about 1 lb. 37 oz.
" It consists of three portions, a terminal tapering blade 6.30 long, with a maximum " breadth of 2.15 at its commencement, a cylindrical barbed portion, and the tang. The « blade is traversed longitudinally by a strongly pronounced midrib inoreasing in thickness from " the tip to the base. Each side of the blade, at its beginning, has a backwardly curved "process or barb. The cylindrical barbed portion consists of two outwardly projecting rod-like "barbs, on each side, separated from each other and from the barbs of the blade by intervals " of 0.75. Each barb is about 0"-60 in length, and '0-80' in thickness. Besides these there " is also a small rod-like outwardly projecting process on each side before the beginning of the "tang, one being perforated at its base by a hole or eye having a diameter of 09.19, doubtless "for the passage of a cord used for tying the harpoon on to its shaft. This portion of the " weapon is " long and nearly 1' in diameter. The tang is slightly tapered towards its "proximal end, and is almost ' in length."
The Mainpuri specimen (Plate II., fig. 7) is considerably smaller, being only seven inches in length, and weighing 14 ounces. It differs also in form.
11 The Danish description of the It&wa objects was translated in substance by Dr. J. A. Smith in Proc. Soc. Ant. Scotland, 1870, pp. 292 2899.
