Bhuj Axe-knife

The 'Bhuj' axe-knife is a weapon with a long history in both Hindu and Mughal armies. The name is taken from the town 'Bhuj' in the Kutch district of Gujarat. The blade is shaped like a heavy knife with a slightly recurved point and medial ridge into a large flat panel that takes up most of the blade. The blade is connected to the shaft by an elephant head bolster with its trunk coiled and a monkey on top of its neck. The hollow brass shaft is tubular and decorated with seamless leaf motifs. It ends in an ornate knob that unscrews to reveal a small stiletto-like dagger. The blade has no decorations and has suffered from bad storage and exposure to humidity but is otherwise solid. The woodwork and textile of the sheath are damaged and need repair.