[Nonoy Tan]

Those talismanic symbols baffle me as well - particularly those with an "X" surrounded by three lines on each side, and other variations. I suspect that some of the variations could be coincidental, as the "X" seems to be a universally used symbol. On the other hand, I also suspect that some of these talismanic symbols appearing in weaponry may be a clue to a common ancestral belief shared by the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and east continental Asia (where "migrations" into the Southeast Asian islands supposedly originated). It would be interesting to see the same talismanic symbols appearing in very, very old weapons as that can provide an indication of the age of such beliefs.

Here is an old Negrito arrow showing the symbols. The Negritos are known to be the earlier inhabitants of the Philippines (before the migration of the "Indonesians" and Malay into the country). Also here is a photo of a warrior (Moro? - I don't know) who appears to have some Negrito ancestry (due to the curly hair). Notice the "X" marks on his body. Coincidence? - Apparently, we need more information. Maybe somebody can provide a more accurate origin of the man in the photo which was supposedly taken in 1870 (?).

It is possible that the talismanic symbol on a blade can provide general information on its age range?