Pulwar

Afghan police ca. 1880, a man near the centre of the group holds a scabbarded pulwar up to the camera, to his left another man holds an Iranian shamshir across his lap..

A pulwar (also spelled pulouar) is a single handed curved sword from Afghanistan and neighbouring regions of Pakistan and Northwestern India. It is the traditional sword of the Pashtun people.

Characteristics

Taking many features from the swords of neighboring lands, a pulwar might be described as "an Afghani talwar". Most existing pulwar date back to the early 19th century, and sport blades that greatly resemble those of the Indian talwars of that time, though pulwar blades tend to be more elaborately fullered. Some do sport Persian blades which are slimmer and more curved and tapered towards the tip. The hilt is characterized by two quillons which are short and turned to point in the direction of the blade in the manner of some shamshir and saif. The pommel of the hilt, unlike the flat disc that is so recognizable on Indian talwars, exhibits a cup-shape. Often both hilt and blade can be ornately engraved with inscriptions, designs, and images, such as a largely stylised phallus decoration.

See also

• Firangi
• Khanda
• Khanjar
• Kilij
• Pata
• Sabre
• Saif
• Shamshir
• Talwar
• Tatbir
• Zulfiqar

References

• Evangelista, N. and Gaugler, W. M. (1995). The encyclopedia of the sword. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0313278962.