Frontier cuirass c. 1720 believed Pueblo Indian in Spanish Style

[Battara]

Here is one picture I have of Mabagani's leather suit of Moro armour.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Battara

Here is one picture I have of Mabagani's leather suit of Moro armour.

This is wonderful!! Can we find detail on this armor? I presume it is 1800s. Is there a way to reach the owner of this? Was there a tradition of using cuir boulli (boiled hide) in the Philippines, or was it leather coated with lacquer?

It would seen that leather use in the tropical climate would be less than durable.

[Ian]

Jose, thanks for that picture. I don't recall seeing it before.

Jim, the links between the Americas and the Philippines were very strong during the Spanish Colonial period. Many of the Spanish Governors of the Philippines came from Mexico, so a direct connection between the Spanish Colonial administrations involving the Pueblo Indians and the Philippines should be fairly easy to establish. I have not looked into this, but my sources were Filipino academics when I was working in the Philippines during the late 1990s-early 2000s.

Regards, Ian

[Battara]

I'm quite sure that this is not soft leather but carabao hide, probably dried hard not supple.

Mabagani was a member here long ago, but his behavior and others during the Macao Museum of Art exhibit got him and the others banned. So no, he ditched me as well personally since I was the only one of the original people involved to be asked back to the exhibit work.

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you so much Jose,
What is important here is this example shown is completely unlike any other Moro armor I can find anywhere. All other examples and designs are front opening reflecting the Islamic influenced forms of mail armor on which they were based long before the Spaniards arrived.

Since this is likely of the same likely 19th century vintage as it seems most Moro armor in the references I have found, this design which is entirely enclosed without mail does resemble the example I posted. Since my example is from c. 1720s, it would appear that Spanish designs from the Southwest must have diffused into the Philippines, perhaps via the 'Manila galleons'?

The frontier example is of cuir boulli, that is two ply boiled bull hide, dried, shaped and hardened. I am curious whether this process was ever used in the Philippine archipelagos. It would seem these types of leather or rawhide would not be very durable in wet, tropical climates.

I am wondering if any other examples of Moro armor are like this one, in one unit without mail, skirted etc. and in hide as noted.

[Battara]

Spanish armor of the 17c and after was skirted. However, some Indonesian armor is similar in style. Either it is influenced by the Portuguese and/or by way of India.

[Rick]

Originally Posted by Battara

Spanish armor of the 17c and after was skirted. However, some Indonesian armor is similar in style. Either it is influenced by the Portuguese and/or by way of India.

The triangular breast plate pattern on the Pueblo example looks a lot like okir.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Ian

Jose, thanks for that picture. I don't recall seeing it before.

Jim, the links between the Americas and the Philippines were very strong during the Spanish Colonial period. Many of the Spanish Governors of the Philippines came from Mexico, so a direct connection between the Spanish Colonial administrations involving the Pueblo Indians and the Philippines should be fairly easy to establish. I have not looked into this, but my sources were Filipino academics when I was working in the Philippines during the late 1990s-early 2000s.

Regards, Ian

Thank you Ian, good points about the connections between Spanish colonial and Philippine administrations, and there was certain networking from Santa Fe where Pueblos were situated. While I have learned a lot about Spanish colonial, I unfortunately know very little on the Philippines and Moros.