A rare Indian Zaghnal Axe

An attractive all-steel Indian weapon known as a Zaghnal, or war pick, crowsbeak axe to give several other names. The fearsome sharp pointed blade of this weapon is made of hard wootz steel with a thickened piercing tip of the blade, ribbed and still with extremely sharp edges. The back of the blade is most interestingly chiselled with two small monster or lion heads, and mounted with a sharpened decorative device which has two curled birds heads.  The shaft shows a pattern throughtout, and is chiselled with ribbing and further mihrab type devices. At the very end is a rounded steel bud, which when unscrewed enable a very long steel blade to be withdrawn, which is housed within the hollow steel handle of the axe. In very good condition with some age wear to the decoration, and damascus pattern still visible to the blade surfaces. Probably early 19th/18th century at the latest