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<div>{{short description|Asian type of battle axe}}<br />
[[File:Indian (Sind) tabar 2.jpg|thumb|200px|Indian ([[Sindh]]) tabar battle axe, late 18th century or earlier, crescent shape 5-inch-long head with a square hammer opposite of the blade, 22-inch-long steel haft, the end of the haft unscrews to reveal a 5-inch slim blade. Heavily patinated head and handle with traces of engraving.]]<br />
The '''tabar''' (also called ''tabarzin'', which means "saddle axe" [in persian], [[Persian language|Persian]]: ''تبر'') is a type of [[battle axe]]. The term ''tabar'' is used for axes originating from the Ottoman Empire, Persia, India and surrounding countries and cultures. the word ''tabar'' is also used in most [[Slavic languages]] as the word for axe<ref name="auto1">{{cite book|author=Boris Alexandrovič Rybakov|title=Kievan Russia: History of Kievan Russia's First Feudal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9-JBAAAAYAAJ&dq=topor+russian+scythian|year=1989|publisher=Progress|isbn=978-5-01-001154-3|page=30}}</ref> (e.g. {{langx|ru|топор}}).<br />
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== Persia ==<br />
The '''tabarzin''' (saddle axe) ({{langx|fa| تبرزین}}; sometimes translated "saddle-hatchet") is the traditional battle axe of [[Persia]] ([[Iran]]). It bears one or two crescent-shaped blades. The long form of the tabar was about seven feet long, while a shorter version was about three feet long. What makes the Persian axe unique is the very thin handle, which is very light and always [[metal]]lic.<ref name="Dary">''Complete Persian culture (Dary dialect)'' by Gholam-reza Ensaf-pur</ref> The ''tabarzin'' was sometimes carried as a symbolic weapon by wandering [[dervish]]es (Muslim ascetic worshippers).{{cn|date=July 2015}} The word ''tabar'' for axe was directly borrowed into [[Armenian language|Armenian]] as ''tapar'' ({{langx|hy|տապար}}) from [[Middle Persian]] ''tabar'',<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/armenia-iv|entry=ARMENIA AND IRAN iv. Iranian influences|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|first=H. W. |last=Bailey|date=December 15, 1986 |volume=II, Fasc. 4-5|pages= 445–465}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite book|author=Anatoly Liberman|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sMiRc-JFIfMC&pg=PA142&dq=armenia+tapar+axe|title=Word Origins...And How We Know Them: Etymology for Everyone|date=16 March 2009|publisher=Oxford University Press, USA|isbn=978-0-19-538707-0|page=142}}</ref> as well as into [[Proto-Slavic]] as "topor" ''(*toporъ)'', the latter word known to be taken through [[Scythian languages|Scythian]],<ref>{{harvtxt|Sussex|Cubberley|2011|pp=111–112}}</ref><ref name="auto1"/> and is still the common [[Slavic languages|Slavic]] word for axe.<ref name="auto1"/><br />
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== India ==<br />
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the tabar battle axe was a standard weapon of the mounted warriors of Punjab, Sikh Khalsa army and what is now modern day India and Pakistan. Made entirely of metal or with a wood haft, it had a strongly curved blade and a hammer-headed poll and was often decorated with scroll work. Sometimes a small knife was inserted in the tabar's hollow haft.<br />
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== Arabia ==<br />
According to Adam Metz's "Islamic Civilization in the Fourth Century of the Hegira," the tabar was frequently not only a weapon used by police chiefs (Sahib al-Shurta), but also a mark of office for them.<br />
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== Gallery ==<br />
<gallery><br />
File:Indian tabar (axe).jpg|Indian (Southern) tabar (axe), 18th century, the wooden haft has a steel tang running 3/4 of the way down, pinned by four rivets. The axe head is brass with a forged steel blade, L. 58 cm.<br />
File:Indian tabar-zaghnal.jpg|Indian tabar-zaghnal, a combination tabar axe and zaghnal war hammer - pick, all-steel construction, 18th to 19th century<br />
File:Indian tabar-shishpar.jpg|Indian (Deccan) tabar-shishpar, an extremely rare combination tabar axe and shishpar eight-flanged mace, steel with hollow shaft, 21.75 inches, 17th to 18th century<br />
File:Tabar Indo-Persian Axe.jpg|18th century Persian ceremonial tabar, crafted of steel with gold koftgari inlay, Kufic calligraphy and pierced decorations<br />
File:Sindudesh flag.jpg|Flag of [[Sindhudesh Movement|Sindhudesh]] movement, the axe represents anger against enemies.<br />
File:Badge of Sind Regiment.png|Badge of [[Sindh Regiment]] an infantry regiment in Pakistan army.<br />
</gallery><br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Battle axe]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==Sources==<br />
*{{citation| last1=Sussex |first=Roland |author1-link=Roland Sussex |last2=Cubberley |first2=Paul |year=2011 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |title=The Slavic Languages |isbn=978-0-521-29448-5}}<br />
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[[Category:Medieval edged and bladed weapons]]<br />
[[Category:Indo-Persian weaponry]]<br />
[[Category:Iranian martial arts]]<br />
[[Category:Weapons of Iran]]</div>47.161.46.214