Military Costume and
Accoutrements in Ancient India
By- Uma Prasad Thapliyal
The study of military costume
and accoutrements in ancient India have not engaged the desired attention of
scholars. Even important treatises on warfare have simply glossed over the
subject.
An in-depth study, however,
reveals an intimate connection between warfare and the military costume. Armour
was devised at an early date to protect the body from arrow-shot, spear thrust
or sword-cut. Even war elephants and horses were protected by armour. The
shield was meant to ward off an attack at close quarters. The make, shape and
size of armour or shield was again determined by the nature of threat to be
encountered.
The choice of accoutrements
was largely determined by the type of the weapons carried by the warrior. The
scabbard was devised to carry a sword and a quiver to keep arrows. A waist-band
and cross-belt were worn to tie-up the sword and quiver respectively. The art
of war also influenced the choice of military costume. The Scytho-Ku¦ŒÄa
mounted archer used coat, trousers and boots as these suited their tactics of
war. The Indian soldiers tied up their loose dhoti in a manner so that no loose ends dangled below to impede the
military maneuver.
This volume tries to explore
the relationship between military costume and warfare through the ages and will
be of immense interest to scholars of Indian military history.
ISBN 978-81-7304-955-2 2012
165p. Rs.695/Pounds 35
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