Sword from the lesser Sunda islands (Timor?)

[Sajen]

Hello members,

this sword is already long in my possession. The seller told me that it is a Tanimbar sword but I have my doubts but it is certainly from the lesser Sunda islands up to East from Alor. I want to ask you if you are able to assign a correct origin and a estimated age of this sword. It is very big, 119 cm (46.85 inch) inside the sheat and the blade is 71 cm (27.95). The blade is mono steal so I think that the sword isn't from the 19th century. But handle and sheath have a nice patination so I don't think that it was made for those who travel.

All comments are very welcome and many thanks in advance,

Detlef

[Battara]

What a nice and fascinating piece!

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Battara

What a nice and fascinating piece!

Thank you Jose, and it is big and heavy like a kampilan.

Regards,

Detlef

[kai]

Hello Detlef,

I think you should try to get Karel Sirag's comments on this one since he has looked into these swords quite a bit. As you know, they come from a group of tribes with similar cultural background including Timor but basically including the whole chain(s) of islands from East of Flores to Tanimbar. AFAIK, the large pommel type from Tanimbar is a bit different and I'd posit that your example is from somewhere West of it. Karel states that this type A hilt is spread all over the region. However, the rounded scabbard foot is a bit rarer and may, with a few other interesting details, help to place it.

I agree that the carvings look genuine with good wear. The hilt usually has a thick horn ferrule and the use of brass may well indicate somewhat later work/repair. I'd guess at the first half of the 20th c. as a conservative estimate. Since blades were routinely imported for these swords a steel of European origin wouldn't necessarily exclude an earlier date though. OTOH, the carvings don't look as detailed/crisp as on some apparently older examples.

The large size probably indicates a status piece for a chief or other noted warrior.

Regards,
Kai

[Sajen]

Hello Kai,

thank you for your elaborate comment. Like you I think that this sword is from a island West from Tanimbar while I think that the carving at the sheath mouth is typical for a South Moluccas island.
The ferrule is from iron formerly silver (?) plated.

Regards,

Detlef

[Albert]

I asked Karel Sirag for comment about this sword, for he has much more expertise on this type of weapons than I have. Here it is:

This sword really is quite megalomaniac! Such a big one I have never seen in my life!, the largest ever came to my attention. The normal size for this kind of weapon is 70/75 cm, with blades from 40 to 50 cm, so this one is outstanding large.
I agree with Kai this could be a status piece. With a blade of 70 cm it is usable and you can fight with it. The status mostly comes from the length of the scabbard.

This sword comes from the island of Alor, situated North of the island Timor. About the age of this piece I cannot say a word, it is very difficult to judge this from photographs. For such things you have to handle the piece itself, hold it in your fingers, smell it, even bite in it...

The handle is from the common type: Type A (1), the one on the picture has a slooped side, this type is slightly more frequent than the straight sided ones: Type B (1).
The decoration on the handle is traditional and quite similar with others I know. Although there are handles without any carving, with only a single 'eye' in the centre.
The carving on the picture is, compared with the ones I am familiar with, a bit more crude.
As Kai states, the ferrule on the lower side of the handle should be completed with a tightly fitted ring of horn, this to prevent splitting.
Often these handles are adorned with bundles of goatshair, as we see in the picture. But this is not a standard feature. I have seen several handles without any hole to put the hair into.

About the blade: I do not know what Sajen means with 'Mono steal'. Most of the 'normal' blades we found on Alor or the surrounding islands came there by trade. As far as I know, they were not made locally. The bunch of these blades, and especially the more older ones, were made on Solor by the thousands and traded everywhere (a.o. by the VOC). That is why you find on these islands always so many swords with blades in the same shape. (3)
Although you also find on Alorswords shortened European swords and even altered machetes.
The blade on the photograph looks similiar to the 'common' ones, but a bit longer. As stated before, I cannot say anything about the age of it.

The scabbard, with the exception of its length, also looks very traditional, with only two deviations: the mouthpiece and the foot.
First, the mouthpiece on the picture is broader than its height: rectangular, while we normally see, with no exception, that this piece is square.

The typical decoration on the mouthpiece, compared with decoration on bamboocontainers from this aera (3), indicates that this weapon originates from the centre of the island.
Although there should be more of course, I only know two other Alorswords with a decoration like this one. One in a private collection in England and another one from the Vatter-collection, collected in situ, 1928/29.
The latter one is shown in his book "Ata Kiwan" (4) and also in Ruth Barnes (3) ill. 684, page 270.

Second, the foot: This is the first one I see with a rounded foot. I do not think this is original.
Traditionally there should be a foot in the shape of something that looks somewhat like a 'fat comma' (has anybody a better description?) (see 1, page 138, ill. 582, 583, 584) projecting to the edgeside.
Perhaps the foot on the sword of Sajen is a restauration or replacement?

The sheaths of all the older swords from Alor I know, are made in a special way. Two flat pieces of wood bound together with a rattan winding is normal on swords, but on Alor there is a small difference. The special way they differ from a 'normal' sheath is the foot: this is óne single piece. The backside of the scabbard is shorter than the piece of wood in the front. In this way the foot is stronger.
On the sides of the foot mostly there is a hint of carving and sometimes you find a small hole for attaching some goatshair.

The difference of the last two mentioned deviations does not say this weapon is not genuine. It only says that it differs from what we see as 'normal'.

About the name: For this type of weapon are several names in circulation. Like OPI, but Baessler (5) states this is the name for the sword on the island of Wetar. Foy (6) uses the name MOSO and RUGI for almost two identical swords. Also I read somewhere the name SONDI.
I prefer the name HAR. This name is given to this type of sword (3, pag 270) by the forenamed Vatter. He was, in contrast with lots of closet scholars in those days, a person who travelled himself. And every piece he collected was noted with a small drawing, names, measurements etc.
I think, but this is personal, this name HAR is the closest we can get to what concerns the namegiving of swords from the island of Alor.

K.S.
April 2011.

(1) See: A.G.van Zonneveld, "Trad. Weapons of the Ind. Archipelago" (2001), page 137-139.
(2) See: A de Roever, "De jacht op sandelhout" (2002), page 22, 159, 172, 290.
(3) See: Ruth Barnes, "Ostindonesien im 20. Jahrhundert: Auf den Spuren der Sammlung Ernst Vatter" (2004), page 241.
(4) See: Ernst Vatter, "Ata Kiwan - Unbekannte Bergvölker im Tropisch Holland" (1932), page 79.
(5) See: A.Baessler, "Ethnographische Beitrage zur Kennis des Ostindische Archipels" (Int. Archiv für Ethn. 1891), Tafel VII/9, page 74, no. 20.
(6) See: Foy, "Schwerter von der Celebes-See" (Dresden, 1899), Tafel VI.

[LJ]

I don't know if you know, but ... A very useful online catalogue is provided by the Volkenkunde Museum in Leiden. If you look for 'zwaard' and narrow the results down to Indonesie, you still get hundreds of images.

[Sajen]

First, a affectionate welcome to the forum! I can't understand really why your first very interesting and well researched post with very good pictures don't get more attention.
Since I've handled both swords I have to agree that both are very top-heavy and difficult to handle and also that both show good signs of age and wear and would place them to the first half of the 20th century. And I agree that both are maybe status swords and that they most probably belong to a not documented subtype of Alor swords. Both swords has also very similar carvings on the top of the foot, a good sign of originality.

Regards,
Detlef

[kai]

Hello Detlef,

both show good signs of age and wear and would place them to the first half of the 20th century.

From the pics, the hilt carving of #2 seems to be of somewhat better quality and I'd also consider an earlier date for this sword. The round scabbard foot including the sun motif looks fairly roughly carved though. Please keep up posted if other specialists have been able to examine both pieces.

Both swords has also very similar carvings on the top of the foot

Yes, these oval "windows" cut into the angular intermediate carving (itself a very unusual feature) are an interesting detail! Any remnants of lime paste or even inlay, etc.?

Regards,
Kai

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kai

Yes, these oval "windows" cut into the angular intermediate carving (itself a very unusual feature) are an interesting detail! Any remnants of lime paste or even inlay, etc.?

No signs that there has been lime paste or inlays in this "windows".

[Sentrad]

Thank you very much Detlev and Kai for your nice welcome words! Here are the close-up pics from Alor sword #2 from one side, other side will follow.

Udo

[Sentrad]

Pics from the other side of Alor sword #2. The bottom of the shoe of this sword shows some cracks,perhaps from putting it on the ground during ceremonies?

Udo