Silvered Indian Mace (Soonta)

Maharaja’s Silvered Mace of Office (Soonta or Souta)

This ceremonial mace is of silvered copper with traces of gilding. The finial is cast, engraved and chased with a mythical yali or perhaps a lion’s head. Its main is of acanthus leaves. The curved section leading the handle is elegantly fluted, and the handle section is rounded and tapering.

Such a mace, also known as a

soonta or souta, would have been carried by an attendant as part of the regalia of an Indian maharaja. Such an attendant – the soonta berdar – would have walked beside or behind the maharaja, hold the mace aloft. (Such regalia was known in north India as lawajama and as biruthus in south India.)

This example almost certainly dates to the 19th century but has a later presentation description, which reads ‘Sir Arthur Rowland Knapp KCIE, CSI, CIE, Member of Council. Fort St George 1922’. It seems that the mace was acquired as a souvenir from a royal court and presented to Sir Arthur.

The Council of the Fort St George, also known as the Council of the Madras Presidency, and the Council of the Governor of Madras, was an administrative subdivision (presidency) of British India. At its peak, the Council ruled over much of southern India, including the present-day Indian State of Tamil Nadu, the Malabar region of North Kerala, Lakshadweep Islands, the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh, Brahmapur and Ganjam districts of Orissa and the Bellary, Dakshina Kannada, and Udupi districts of Karnataka. Madras (now Chennai) was its capital.

Sir Arthur Knapp (b. 1870 -1954) served as the Revenue Member of the Executive Council of the Governor of Madras from 1923 to 1926.

The mace is in fine condition without significant dents. The silvering has worn here and there. It is a fine example with good sculptural and historical value.