The Indus Civilization c8.13

c8.13

Two copper swords, or dirks, the larger of which is eighteen and a half inches long without the missing handle, were among the most welcome finds at Mohenjo-daro. Both are considerably thickened down the middle for strength and are in excellent condition, but, to judge from their blunt points, they would have been more useful in slashing than in thrusting. Swords of so early a date are extremely rare at any site; at present the only specimen to be compared with them is one lately discovered at Tell el-Ajjul in Palestine by Sir Flinders Petrie, and assigned by him to the period of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, a period which is approximately that of Mohenjo-daro.