Short Sword ID Requested
 

Hi All,

I recently got this chopper that the seller described as a middle eastern machete. I’m sure that it is neither middle eastern nor a machete but I haven’t a clue as to what it is. My best guess is southeast Asia with a second guess of northeast Indian subcontinent. The sword is very heavy and could strike a devastating blow but, in my opinion, isn’t balanced for a quick recovery so I suspect that it was for animal sacrifice rather than combat. The blade has one narrow fuller and two incised panels on each side. There are also a number of decorative notches filed into the rebated area. The edge of the rebated area is quite blunt and was never intended to cut. The round brass hilt (whether one piece or multiple pieces, I can’t tell) doesn’t provide the completely positive grip needed for combat. There is a ferrous metal cylinder (probably part of the tang) projecting from the pommel that may have been used to attach a decorative finial but is too short to anchor a two handed grip addition. No sheath
Specs:
Blade Length, about 17.5” long (44.45cm) as measured from the center at hilt to tip at edge
Blade Width, about 2.5” (6.35cm) at tip and 1.75” (4.445cm) just before rebate
Blade Rebate Length, about 5” (12.7cm)
Blade Rebate Width, about1.24’ - 1.125” (3.175cm - 2.8575cm)
SpineThickness, a hair over .5” (1.27cm) at hilt

Sincerely,
RobT

Odd that there are no comments, but it has a very Chinese "Dadao" look to me.

Could be... It might be a stretch but it also reminds me a bit of some Dahomey swords.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/attach...1&d=1557228798

Eh, but maybe not the most convincing match though.

It also has a bit of an Indian feel with that stubby firangi-like extension on the pommel.

It has the profile of Chinese 'money' knives, tho obviously a real steel blade.

I Knew It Was A Long Shot
 

David R, werecow, JeffS, and kronkew

Thanks for all your Input. For reasons that I detailed in my initial post, I believe this to be a sacrificial sword from the Indian sub-continent (or somewhere close by) or South East Asia. If it is indeed ceremonial, it would be a good bit more uncommon than a regular sword or knife and only likely to be known to a handful of cultural anthropologists. I was hoping that maybe someone had come across a picture or a drawing in some scholarly journal.

Sincerely,
RobT

Rob, I have a vague memory (that happens at my age) of a similar item from one of the Himalayan cultures being discussed here 20+ years ago. I also favor your suggestion that this is Asian in origin. Perhaps a cousin of a ram dao.

Sacrificial Cham Tun?
 

AN,

Ruefully, I too have noticed some post retirement problems with recall. Perhaps that is why your suggestion of a Himalaya item jogged my memory. Could you be referring to the cham tun of the Mei Tai people? The Mei Tai are the majority population in India’s Manipur state which is located in north east India just south of Nagaland. If I recall correctly, my sword does look a good bit like a cham tun (which in turn looks a lot like a panabas). Perhaps my sword is the sacrificial version.

Sincerely,
RobT