TO ME THE TERM TEMPLE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH SWORDS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THE TEMPLE FOR SOME REASON OR ONES USED IN PROCESSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH RELIGIONS OR TEMPLES. SOME WERE NO DOUBT MADE FOR A SPECIFIC USE IN THE TEMPLE CEREMONYS. I HAVE READ ABOUT SWORDS BEING PRESENTED TO TEMPLES IN MANY ORIENTAL COUNTRYS, CHINA,JAPAN,ECT. PERHAPS THEY WERE PRESENTED TO MARK SOME HISTORIC EVENT OR TO ASK THE GODS FOR GOOD FORTUNE IN A WAR OR BATTLE OR AS THANKS FOR SUCESS, WEALTH AND LONG HEALTH. THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO MAKE AN OFFERING AT A TEMPLE AND ALSO MANY KINDS OF OFFERINGS FROM INSENCE, GOLD,FOOD,POEMS TO SWORDS.
I HAVE A LARGE EXAMPLE MADE IN RANGOON SAID TO HAVE BEEN USED IN PROCESSIONS AND HAVE SEEN OTHERS LIKE IT OVER THE YEARS. IT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD WEAPON DUE TO ITS SIZE AND POOR BALANCE BUT WOULD LOOK GOOD IN A PROCESSION. I SUSPECT THE FLASHY DHA MADE WITH THE INLAYED PICTURES ON THE BLADES AND LOW QUALITY SILVER OR WHITE METAL HANDLES AND SCABBARDS WERE MADE FOR DRESS OCCASIONS AND TO SELL TO TOURISTS. I HAVE SEEN A FEW ALSO THAT USED MORE EXPENSIVE FITTINGS AND DO NOT REALLY LOOK LIKE TOURIST PIECES SO THEY MAY BE PRESENTATION PIECES OR MADE FOR SOME OTHER IMPORTANT OCCASIONS. I SEEM TO REMBER A CUSTOM OF HANGING SMALLER SWORDS OUTSIDE THE DOOR OF YOUR HOUSE AT CERTAN TIMES AS A PROTECTIVE TAILSMAN.
WHAT A DRAG IT IS GETTING OLD! I KEEP LEARNING BUT SEEM TO BE FORGETTING FASTER THAN I LEARN THESE DAYS
