Stephen Lushington Case Contents

This double-edged sword was used for cutting. The hilt (sword handle) has a bell-shaped pommel (end) and little protection for the knuckle.

A weapon for close combat, with flanged head.

This mace is for close combat. The bottom part of it is hollow and conceals a second weapon: the shaft unscrews and becomes the grip of a slim, sharply pointed double-edged knife. The warrior using the mace thereby has a weapon for each hand.

At the top of the mace-head is a covered opening with a model cobra mounted on a spring. Removal of the cover releases the spring and the cobra pops up. It may have been intended as a decorative hook for hanging the mace.

A royal symbol of power with ‘chocolate orange’-style head, this mace may have been made for Khrshnaraja Wodeyar I (1714– 1732) or an earlier ruler of Mysore. The metal craftsmanship of the shaft is outstanding, with fine decoration of foliage and flowers in gold and silver koftgari inlay. The koftgari technique begins by incising or hatching pattern into the metal surface, then pressing gold or silver wire into the pattern.

The bottom section of the shaft unscrews to become the grip of a slim, sharply pointed double-edged knife concealed in the hollow shaft of the mace.

This curved sword was used by Nair warriors from Travancore. It has a single-edged blade re-curving towards the end known as Yatagan-style. The hilt (handle) extensions onto the blade are decorated with lotus scrolls.

Firangi means ‘foreigner’ and this type of sword originally incorporated European blades, or ones made locally in European style. It has a typical South Indian disc-shaped pommel (handle end).

At first glance these look like British birds: partridges, cuckoo, woodpecker, pigeon and dove, all familiar in our cities and countryside. But the birds come from southern India.
The Canterbury Philosophical and Literary Institution reported in 1830 the gift from ‘Stephen Lushington of many birds from a mountainous region in Madras at an elevation of between eight and nine thousand feet from the level of the Sea’. Many were very similar to birds found in Britain and showed that high altitude in a warm southern climate provides similar conditions to lower altitude in a cooler northern climate. Among the birds were the sparrow hawk, henharrier, hoopoe and woodcock.

The cases of birds in the museum of Canterbury Philosophical and Literary Institution were ‘so peculiarly attractive to visitors’, according to the Institution’s annual report, that ‘the Curators … felt themselves bound to increase the Collection of Birds by every means in their power.’

In this original case are seven woodpeckers, two Indian ring necked parakeets, a plum-headed and a Malabar parakeet, two nightjars (birds that hunt at night, with pointed wings and long tails), a needle-tailed swift (the fastest bird in flapping flight), a hoopoe (with distinctive crown of feathers), three partridges, five cuckoos, four different plovers, various quail, a necklace dove and Indian green-winged dove, a black-winged stilt (long-legged wader), two pigeons, and various other birds.

The Canterbury Philosophical and Literary Institution reported in 1830 the ‘valuable presentations made by His Excellency the present Governor of Madras,’ Stephen Lushington, ‘which comprise specimens of several of the noble Mammalia of that Country, as the Bengal Tiger…, Leopard…, Panther…, Ounce…, Elk… &c, &c.; also a magnificent Skull of a large domesticated Elephant with tusks; as well as upwards of 150 species of the feathered race, some of which as the Vulture, Hornbill, Roller, Barbet, Nuthatch, and Ibis, have enabled the Curators to fill up Genera which were before wholly wanting in the [museum] cases.’

The largest of the birds in this original ‘Phil and Lit’ museum case is the giant hornbill. It can eat seeds as large as avocado stones but is omnivorous, like the three other hornbills, eating small animals as well as fruit.

The rest of the birds in this case are waders or shallow-water feeders, living where there is plentiful food along shorelines or on lakes. The ibis, to the right of the giant hornbill, is a wader with a long down-curved bill, which it prods in the mud to find shellfish. In ancient Egypt the African ibis was sacred and associated with the moon god Thoth. It can be found on several artefacts in the Ancient Egypt showcase to the right of this case.

These battle or ceremonial spears are made in two sections that screw together; one is displayed in two parts, unscrewed. The shafts are richly decorated and show elaborate workmanship; some of the gilding has worn away with use. The spearheads are also engraved with scrolling foliage and gilded.

Each spearhead has a velvet-covered wooden sheath, decorated with gilded mounts.

Twenty years before this original of this engraved portrait was painted, the writer Jane Austen described meeting Lushington at Godmersham, near Canterbury, while visiting her niece, Fanny Knight: “I like him very much,” she wrote to her sister, Cassandra (October 1813). “I am sure he is clever, and a man of taste. He got a volume of Milton last night, and spoke of it with warmth. He is quite an MP, very smiling, with an exceeding good address and readiness of language. I am rather in love with him. I dare say he is ambitious and insincere. ... He has a wide smiling mouth, and very good teeth.”

Fanny Knight noted in her pocket book: “Mr Lushington sang. He has a lovely voice, and is quite delightful.”

This type of knife with heavy single-edged blade and no guard was used in Coorg, on the Western Ghat mountains, and Malabar, between the Western Ghats and Arabian Sea.

This shield was made for the European souvenir market. It is styled on the fighting shield, known as a dhal, but with rich inlaid decoration of foliage patterns.

Rajasthan was the centre for manufacture and decoration of the traditional Indian round dhal fighting shields, with shallow domed shape and four metal bosses (round knobs) on the front corresponding to handle fixings inside. Dhal varied in size and could be made of metal or animal hide.

Rhino hide was popular because it is translucent: a shield similar to the one here is displayed in the Materials and Masters gallery to show how light passes through the hide.

Indian long sword of the type known as a Firangi (from ‘Frank’, meaning ‘foreigner’) because such swords originally incorporated European or other foreign blades, or ones made locally in European style.

It has a basket-type hilt (sword-handle) with a hand-guard above the crossbar. The grip (hand-hold) ends in a pommel of round discs. A spike extends from the pommel, enabling the sword to be used two-handed, but also providing a second, close-combat weapon. Hilts like this with a spike are known as Khanda style. It is decorated with gold inlay and turquoises; there are also inscriptions in Persian and Hindi. From the 16th century onwards Mughal rule in India meant that Persian culture and crafts were adopted.

Firangi means ‘foreigner’ and this type of sword originally incorporated European blades, or ones made locally in European style.

A Hindu punch or thrust dagger for close combat, with characteristic ‘H’-shaped hand-grip and double-edged ‘knuckleduster’ blade. These were often made from broken sword blades.

Short knives used by the Gurkhas of Nepal are called Kukri. They have an inward-curved cutting edge and are used as both weapons and tools, like a machete. One has a dog-head handle, the other a dragon-head.

The Pata, or gauntlet sword, was used by Maratha warriors during their long but eventually successful war against the Persian Mughal empire (1681-1707). Maratha warriors were trained to fight with two patas, one in each hand, or with a single pata in one hand and an axe or spear in the other. The snug-fitting steel gauntlet covers the fighter’s hand, wrist and part of their forearm. Inside the gauntlet is a metal crossbar, gripped by the fist. The sword becomes effectively an extension of the arm, for slash and thrust with a double-edged blade.

The steel arm-guard here is formed in the shape of an elephant being devoured by a Makara (demon). This ornate weapon may have been a royal sword.

A dagger with a re-curving blade of very finely forged steel, designed to penetrate chain mail and other armour. This type was introduced to India by the Persian Mughals and is also called an Afghan or Khyber knife.

This weapon used mainly by horsemen is decorated with bird motifs. Two concealed knives emerge from the hammer head of the axe.

A weapon used for close combat, with a crescent-shaped blade and pick.

Angled swords like this are known as Temple Swords and are associated with the Nair people of Malabar. They were used for religious and domestic ceremonies.

Used by cavalry or similar mounted soldiers, with a single-edged blade. Sabres are often called scimitars, from their Persian name Shamshir. The pommel (handle end) is disc-shaped.

Used by cavalry or similar mounted soldiers, with a single-edged blade. Sabres are often called scimitars, from their Persian name Shamshir. The pommel (handle end) is disc-shaped. This sabre has a Rajput basket-style hilt (sword-handles with knuckle guard).

The grooves on the blade (sometimes mistakenly called ‘blood grooves’) are known as fullers and help create a lighter blade whilst maintaining its strength.

Used by cavalry or similar mounted soldiers, with a single-edged blade. Sabres are often called scimitars, from their Persian name Shamshir. The pommel (handle end) is disc-shaped.

The grooves on the blade (sometimes mistakenly called ‘blood grooves’) are known as fullers and help create a lighter blade whilst maintaining its strength.

Used by cavalry or similar mounted soldiers, with a single-edged blade. Sabres are often called scimitars, from their Persian name Shamshir. The pommel (handle end) is disc-shaped. This sabre has a Rajput basket-style hilt (sword-handles with knuckle guard) and a Khanda style with spike on the pommel.

The grooves on the blade (sometimes mistakenly called ‘blood grooves’) are known as fullers and help create a lighter blade whilst maintaining its strength.

Yatagan short sabres are Ottoman Turkish in origin. They have a slightly re-curved blade and no guard on the hilt (handle).