FINE SWORD, INDONESIA OR MALAYSIAN ?

BigG · 22nd November 2010, 06:48 PM

I have yet to see any Peninsula Malay weapons with this very distinctive form of hilt design. Especially the foliage ukiran on the hilt. After thinking it through i would say that i could see a shadow of a semblance of a makara form form in the general outline of the weapon's hilt. But that outline is only a semblance of what a makara outline would look like.

As for the blade itself, i would have to agree that it is more akin to what would be found in Sumatera and perhaps lombok. But not likely in the peninsula. The form of the blade, especially the markings and the pamor combination is just something that i have yet to see there.

There is just something rather odd about the combination of the blade, the markings on it and the hilt form and decoration on this weapon.

Battara · 11th April 2011, 03:53 AM

Was just reading in Van Zonneveld's Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Arhchepalego , and I came across this type of sword which he called a Sumatran pedang (type III), page 102. He also stated that this type of sword often has a bare wooden scabbard, even when the hilt has silver on it (has a picture of it too).

Interesting stuff.

22nd November 2010, 06:48 PM	#1
BigG Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Singapore Posts: 75	I have yet to see any Peninsula Malay weapons with this very distinctive form of hilt design. Especially the foliage ukiran on the hilt. After thinking it through i would say that i could see a shadow of a semblance of a makara form form in the general outline of the weapon's hilt. But that outline is only a semblance of what a makara outline would look like. As for the blade itself, i would have to agree that it is more akin to what would be found in Sumatera and perhaps lombok. But not likely in the peninsula. The form of the blade, especially the markings and the pamor combination is just something that i have yet to see there. There is just something rather odd about the combination of the blade, the markings on it and the hilt form and decoration on this weapon.

11th April 2011, 03:53 AM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	Was just reading in Van Zonneveld's Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Arhchepalego , and I came across this type of sword which he called a Sumatran pedang (type III), page 102. He also stated that this type of sword often has a bare wooden scabbard, even when the hilt has silver on it (has a picture of it too). Interesting stuff.