Also known as 'Dastana'.

The arm guard used throughout the Turkish Empire, Persia and India for hundreds of years. It consists of a curved plate covering the outside of the arm from wrist to elbow; this is either fastened to two narrow wrist plates by mail, or hinged to a short plate that protects the inside of the wrist. The hand is covered by a gauntlet fastened to the end of the long plate.

In Turkey, the arm plate was relatively short, rounded at the upper end, and very slightly curved lengthwise. It nearly always had two narrow wrist plates connected to each other and to the arm plate by mail, the gauntlets were generally of mail over leather.

The Persian guards were longer, also rounded at the end, and much more curved lengthwise. They also had two narrow plates at the wrist and mail gauntlets. In India the upper end of the arm plate was pointed and in the south, frequently curved out and ended in a knob or acorn. In place of the two small plates and mail there was generally a single curved plate hinged to the long one. The gauntlets were sometimes of mail or overlapping scales, but usually of padded cloth, frequently velvet, decorated with gilt studs. Some of the gauntlets are formed of two symmetrical stiff flaps that leave the hand free to grasp swords, or reins, while still protecting it. With very slight modifications this form of arm guard has been used in the East since the 15th century.

In India and Persia in later times it was often worn, on the bridle hand if on horseback, and on the sword hand if on foot carrying sword and shield. Also name given to basket hand guard of Indian swords.