Two shamanic Tonkin knives

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Andrew

Hi Detlef. I have seen similar, small knives, although not like the one with the curved blade--that is unusual in my personal experience.

The examples I've handled and collected with antler handles/pommels are from Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Burma. For reasons unknown even to myself, I've never delved into Vietnamese weapons. I tend to think of them as more closely related to Chinese weapons than the other cultures in continental SEA, my main area of interest.

The curved one may be ritualistic, or may be purely decorative--I have no idea.

The other one, with the square tip, could be a type of "priest knife" similar to those carried by devout Buddhists in Thailand. It, also, reminds me of some betel nut knives I've seen. Any signs that it has ever had a sharp edge?

Best,
A

Hi Andrew,

thank you again! Both knives have clearly a spine and edge but on both the edge isn't sharp. By the small one with steel blade it could be that it was sharp at any time but I doubt. And I don't know how the betel nut is used in this area. In India and Java/Bali the betel nut is used dry and so as hard nut, in some other parts of Indonesia the nut is used as young nut, so it is very soft (I have tried it in both ways and prefer the dry one ). What I want to say is that the small knife could easily be used for young betel nuts but no way for dry/hard ones. By the patinated blade I can imagine that it was maybe used for cutting young nuts.

Regards,
Detlef