{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O81975"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O81975/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O81975","accessionNumber":"2667(IS)","objectType":"Camel gun","titles":[{"title":"Zamburak (Pers. Lit: little wasp)","type":"popular title"},{"title":"Shutarnal (Pers. Lit: camel-gun barrel)","type":"generic title"},{"title":"Camel gun","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"Camel guns were widely used in India from the early 1500's right up to the mid 19th century. Since there were few roads, and much difficult terrain, they were used in large numbers in place of  more cumbersome conventional artillery. They were intended to disrupt enemy formations at long distance. Unlike other examples which resemble large muskets, this piece has a bronze barrel like a small cannon. It illustrates one possible line of evolution from ship-mounted swivels introduced into India by the Portuguese in 1498.","physicalDescription":"Swivel gun made in the form of a miniature bronze cannon barrel mounted on an oversize matchlock stock, attached by means of a swivel mounting to a camel saddle.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Cast bronze mounted on carved wood with leather bindings.","categories":[{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"},{"text":"India Museum","id":"THES286062"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES344198"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES344198"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Camel saddle","id":""}],[{"text":"Firearm","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Lahore","id":"x30874"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1850-1855","earliest":"1850-01-01","latest":"1855-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"E.14-2007","id":"O134839"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Transferred from the India Museum in 1879","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"144","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"length of gun","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"280","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"widest part of gun","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"920","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"length of saddle","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"57","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"height of saddle","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"60","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"width of saddle","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Manufactured in Lahore. Exhibited at the Great Exhibition in 1851. Transferred from the India Museum to South Kensington Museum in 1879.\n\nHistorical significance: The use of camel guns was widespread in the subcontinent, particularly in Northern India and other mountainous regions, probably from the early 1500's right up to and including the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1848-9. They were used in large numbers in place of  more cumbersome conventional artillery. As the Persian name suggests they were intended to harrass and annoy, disrupting enemy formations in preparation for the decisive cavalry charges that dominated the tactics of Central and South Asian cultures. However, like many other more mundane arms produced in large quantities, few survive to this day. Unlike other examples which resemble large muskets, this piece has a bronze barrel like a small cannon. It illustrates one possible line of development from ship-mounted swivels introduced into India by the Portuguese in 1498.","historicalContext":"The use of camels to carry light artillery pieces is popularly believed to have begun in 1722 when the Afghans employed dromedaries armed with light cannon against the Persians \r\n\r\nSource: Columbari, Col. F, <u>Les Zemboureks</u>. Paris: 1853, p.28. \r\n\r\nThrough them it is popularly believed that they were introduced into India through the invasions of India by Nadir Shah. However such guns are known to have been developed by Babur and Akbar and 2-300 are recorded in Aurangzeb's camp by Bernier in 1664-66 'two to three hundred light camels, each of which carried a small field piece of the size of a double musket, attached to the back of the animal, much in the same manner as swivels are fixed to our barks...'\r\n\r\nSource: Sarkar, Jagadish Narayan, <u>The Art of War in Medieval India</u>. p.136.\r\nSource: Phul, Raj Ramur, <u>Armies of the Great Mughals</u>. New Delhi : 1978.\r\nSource: Irvine, W, <u>The Army of the Indian Moghuls</u>. London: 1903, Ch.XI, p.135-6.","briefDescription":"Miniature bronze cannon barrel attached by means of a swivel mounting to a camel saddle, Lahore, mid 19th century","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Transferred from the India Museum to South Kensington Museum in 1879","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["2667:2/(IS)","2667:1/(IS)"],"accessionNumberNum":"2667","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Camel saddle","Firearm"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-17","recordCreationDate":"2003-07-04","availableToBook":true}}