An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c24.s3.25

v1.c24.s3.25

Except in the matter of length the daggers of Taxila closely resemble the swords. All the six daggers or their parts are straight, double-edged and pointed weapons from about 20 to 30 cm in length and with a cross-guard attached to the blade at the blade of the hilt, except one from Bhir Mound. Only one complete dagger and one dagger-blade, both of the 3rd to 2nd century B.C., come from Bhir Mound, the others being from Sirkap. The Bhir Mound dagger differs from the Sirkap ones in that the blade is straight-edged almost up to the point where it tapers abruptly and there is no cross-guard at the hilt (Marshall, 1951, 2, pp. 544-5, 560).