[CharlesS]

I generally don't collect items outside of the Muslim portions of the Philippines, but this Kalinga axe was so strangely elegant in its own right that I could not resist. I know very little about the Kalinga other than that they were headhunters and this was supposedly their "head axe", but like so many tribal people, I believe this evolved from a tool, or at least had a dual purpose, with the elongated spike stuck in the ground to create an upright and fixed cutting edge.

This one is 23.5in. in length with an arch-topped heavy axe head of 15.5in. suppported by an 8in. steel ferrule. The remainder of the haft is wood decorated with hammered brass rings and pierced bands and vertical strips. The haft terminates with a silver alloy butt that may be cast.

I don't see how this one could be a fighting axe as it has no balance at all past the bottom of the steel ferrule. It feels clumsy and fragile if held by any wooden portion. I am supposing all the "bling" made this example more of a status or ceremonial piece?

I'd love to learn more about these, and an estimation of the age of this one. I have cleaned up the brass and silver to accentuate their details.