# Communities > Antique Arms & Armour Community > Middle-East, India & Africa (MEIA) >  Afghan Pulwar sword with inlaid inscription

## eric t

I have come across several of this type of pulwar, they have very similar blades which have been described as resembling a Persian blade but a bit cruder, possibly an Afghan copy, any input appreciated, I especially would be interested in knowing if the inscription actually says anything (not sure if it is posted right side up).

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## Gene Wilkinson

Nice looking sword Eric.
The cartouche does look like it's saying something.
It looks like 'amal' and a name to me. But I can't read the name.
Is there an inscription between the cartouche and the hilt up by the spine?
The little Bedu (lucky/magic square) is nice.
It looks like someone has masked off these areas and then rather heavily etched the blade.
I've seen this a couple of times recently.
The blade does look like a Persian trade blade. Real or copied!
It's hard to have more of an opinion from the small photos. Can you remote host them bigger?
I don't think it's wootz, but it might be such a low contrast pattern that the etching has meant that it's not visible in the pictures.
Persian trade blades tend to have good patterns that would pop out if you sat next to it and put vinegar on your chips!
Here's a trade blade of mine in a Tulwar hilt:

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## Marius M

> I have come across several of this type of pulwar, they have very similar blades which have been described as resembling a Persian blade but a bit cruder, possibly an Afghan copy, any input appreciated, I especially would be interested in knowing if the inscription actually says anything (not sure if it is posted right side up).


The blade is pattern welded (my guess Indian, 19-20 century).

The cartouche is upside down but that's all I can tell.

I hope you will get better answers from more knowledgeable members!

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## Gene Wilkinson

> The blade is pattern welded (my guess Indian, 19-20 century).
> 
> The cartouche is upside down but that's all I can tell.
> 
> I hope you will get better answers from more knowledgeable members!


'Pattern Welded' would indicate a deliberately produced pattern. What we seem to be seeing here is more a result of erosion revealing random flaws in the steel. I hesitate to call it lamination as the revealed flaws look more like forging flaws than deliberate folds.

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## Marius M

> 'Pattern Welded' would indicate a deliberately produced pattern. What we seem to be seeing here is more a result of erosion revealing random flaws in the steel. I hesitate to call it lamination as the revealed flaws look more like forging flaws than deliberate folds.


Hello Gene,

You are probably right, but it is hard to say since the blade was crudely polished and not properly etched. I was using the term "pattern welded" for any type of laminated blades that display a visible pattern, and since this one has a visible pattern I called it "pattern welded."

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## eric t

> The blade is pattern welded (my guess Indian, 19-20 century).
> 
> The cartouche is upside down but that's all I can tell.



Thanks for this info, I will repost larger images with the cartouche in the right direction.

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## eric t

> Nice looking sword Eric.
> The cartouche does look like it's saying something.
> It looks like 'amal' and a name to me. But I can't read the name.
> Is there an inscription between the cartouche and the hilt up by the spine?
> The little Bedu (lucky/magic square) is nice.
> It looks like someone has masked off these areas and then rather heavily etched the blade.
> I've seen this a couple of times recently.
> The blade does look like a Persian trade blade. Real or copied!
> It's hard to have more of an opinion from the small photos. Can you remote host them bigger?
> ...


Gene, nice looking tulwar, thanks for the info, I will repost larger images.

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## eric t

> The blade is pattern welded (my guess Indian, 19-20 century).
> 
> The cartouche is upside down but that's all I can tell.
> 
> I hope you will get better answers from more knowledgeable members!



Right side up now?

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## eric t

> Is there an inscription between the cartouche and the hilt up by the spine?
> The little Bedu (lucky/magic square) is nice.
> It looks like someone has masked off these areas and then rather heavily etched the blade.
> I've seen this a couple of times recently.


Gene, there was an additional inscription, I posted it in both directions since I am not sure which way up is correct. I agree that someone covered the inscriptions and then etched the blade rather badly. I would not call it "pattern welded" in that case but is does reveal the folds from when it was forged which you would probably not normally see.

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## eric t

A couple more pulwars with similar bades.

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## Gene Wilkinson

Hi Eric,

Well! 
Unfortunately I can still only read 'Amal': .عمل in the cartouche.
So Amal (sometimes spelled amel) means 'work' (Work of).
So the lower part of the inscription will be a name. 
The name will in all likelihood be either relatively uninteresting or spurious.

The real story here is the inscription between the cartouche and the hilt. That might tell something very interesting.

My feeling overall is that what we are seeing here is a sword of reasonable quality, made in India/Afghanistan that is trying to look like an expensive imported Persian trade blade.

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## eric t

> Hi Eric,
> 
> Well! 
> Unfortunately I can still only read 'Amal': .عمل in the cartouche.
> So Amal (sometimes spelled amel) means 'work' (Work of).
> So the lower part of the inscription will be a name. 
> The name will in all likelihood be either relatively uninteresting or spurious.
> 
> The real story here is the inscription between the cartouche and the hilt. That might tell something very interesting.
> ...


Thanks Gene, can you tell me what language is used for the inscription.

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## Gene Wilkinson

Hi Eric,
It looks like Arabic to me, I could post one of your pics on a language site and ask for a translation if you are happy with that?

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## eric t

> Hi Eric,
> It looks like Arabic to me, I could post one of your pics on a language site and ask for a translation if you are happy with that?


Gene it is not to much trouble I would greatly appreciate any additional information. I am particularly interested in finding out of the inscription is just gibberish or if it actually says something.

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## Gene Wilkinson

> Gene it is not to much trouble I would greatly appreciate any additional information. I am particularly interested in finding out of the inscription is just gibberish or if it actually says something.


If it was a Persian blade and the inscription original I'd have thought it would be Farsi.
But I suspect that it might not be.
I can't tell the difference and it's not getting any takers here sadly. So I'll host it somewhere and hope for a reply  :Smilie:

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## eric t

> If it was a Persian blade and the inscription original I'd have thought it would be Farsi.
> But I suspect that it might not be.
> I can't tell the difference and it's not getting any takers here sadly. So I'll host it somewhere and hope for a reply


This seems to be a specific type, any additional info would be helpful.

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## Jens Nordlunde

Maybe someone can help you here http://forum.wordreference.com/forum...-languages.99/

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## eric t

> Maybe someone can help you here http://forum.wordreference.com/forum...-languages.99/


Jens, thanks for the link and the suggestion, I will try to post something there, if I find anything out I will post it here.

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## Gene Wilkinson

Eric/Jens
I've actually already posted it there, but I hosted the pic upside down lol!
So it's not visible at the moment until I rectify that.
I'll do it now and post a linky.

Edit: Now reposted: http://forum.wordreference.com/threa...eeded.3259212/

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## Gene Wilkinson

Eric,
It's getting some interest now, have a look.

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## Manouchehr M.

It is indeed Arabic.  al-Saff ﺍﻠﺻﻑ: (al-Qur’an) (n) Formations; this is the 61th sura of the holy Qur’an that consists of 14 verses.  The verse 13 is used on this blade and reads as:
13. Nasron Min Allahi Wa Fathon Qareeb
13. Help from God and early victory.

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## eric t

Thanks for everyones help, so it seems that the language is Arabic and there is a reference to a Hazrate Ali who is a Shiite. Hopefully other inscriptions from similar Afghan sword blades will become available for translation, I would be interested in seeing if other inscriptions are also Arabic etc.

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## Manouchehr M.

There is normally a combination of Persian and Arabic languages.  Of course Arabic is used when Quran verses are quoted. BTW the other cartouche reads Ya Ali Madad (Oh Ali Help) which is used in Persian.

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