Swords

Did you know that swords are a type of body adornment? For many thousands of years, different types of swords have been symbols of status and prestige. They can be purely decorative and highly ornate or they can be for purposes such as battle and war. Many cultures still use swords and blades for traditional ceremonies.

Swords are very sacred within the Sikh religion. They are known as Kirpan, and are one of the five sacred symbols of Sikhism. The swords shown here are not Kirpan, as they are not in the usual shape that is commonly accepted as a typical Kirpan. However, they are of Sikh origin because of the type of patterns and scripture that is on each of them.

It is one of the prerogatives of the Sikh religion that Sikhs should wear the five sacred symbols at all times. The Kirpan is no exception. The blades themselves can range from 2cm to 45cm or so long, and are often strapped to the body or hung around the neck (dependent on the size of the blade). It is a commonly accepted form of religious devotion, and therefore the blades are not seen as weapons.

Members of Wolverhampton University Sikh Society talked about their Kirpan and discussed its relevance to them. Jagmeet Singh said that “The Kirpan is one of the symbols of our religion. It is holy and precious, and it reinforces the idea that we are Sikh. The fact that the Kirpan we have nowadays are often small is just about convenience. Bigger blades are good, but it is more practical to wear a smaller blade. This does not mean we are compromising our Sikhism, but we are adapting it to the demands of modern day life.”

The swords here are originally from Persia, and were made in the nineteenth century. It is unlikely that they were used for anything other than decoration, as they are highly decorated and therefore would not have been very suitable for combat. However, the nature of the blades suggest that, had they been used in battle, they may well have been used for different purposes. The dagger on the left is the most decorative out of the two, and shows an almost Oriental dragon type creature on its hilt. This is a stark contrast to the clean lines and simplicity of the Kirban that Sikh people wear.