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14th October 2008, 06:25 PM | #1 |
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Sumbawa Knife
Here is a nice example of a dress knife form Sumbawa. A similar example can be seen in Zonneveld's Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago on page 74, plate 283.
The silver scabbard on this one is much akin to Sumbawa scabbards seen on dressier swords. |
14th October 2008, 10:51 PM | #2 |
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That is a most unusual hilt. I haven't seen anything similar before. Could it be phallic or abstract?
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15th October 2008, 07:34 AM | #3 |
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It looks like the silver may have been done on either southern Sulawesi or maybe by some local Bugis on this, otherwise Sumbawa, knife?
I have heard that those knives are harvesting knives. Maybe ceremonial like when communicating with the semangat (life-essence, collective soul, local guardian spirit) of the local rice field before harvesting. Michael PS The ivory is usually marine/whale on these Sumbawa knives. |
18th October 2008, 01:34 AM | #4 |
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Phallic ? / maybe sperm whale
But seriously, a very nice knife but the hilt seems indeed pretty phallic for an indonesian weapon. could that be hindu influence ? |
18th October 2008, 03:25 AM | #5 |
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Apparently they are not unknown in the area .
http://www.geocities.com/keris4u/han...gam_tandok.htm |
18th October 2008, 12:22 PM | #6 | |
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Quote:
Last edited by Maurice; 18th October 2008 at 01:09 PM. |
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