A Special Kampillan

[mross]

Originally Posted by Battara

David I would like to see an example of any blade that far back. However, in a tropical environment plus age as you know, these are conditions that almost prohibit even Indonesian keris or any type of steel to exist. That being said, so far no kampilans but a couple of buried daggers from the 12th century are now on display in Filipino museums.

This makes logical and more importantly economic sense. Do to the scarcity of steel in the region when older weapons get damaged to a point they are no longer useful I would think the steel would be recycled. The Europeans did this with old armor etc. I'm not versed in the rituals of the Philippines but I don't recall their warriors being buried with weapons like the Vikings. Even if they where the climate is not conducive to those weapons surviving.

[Spunjer]

kinda late in the party, but all i can say is, that's one gorjeez kampy, Charles!! thank you for showing that to me at the show!!

[Ferguson]

Charles, I am truly happy that this wonderful example has come into your care!

Steve

[CharlesS]

Thanks, Spunjer and Steve...that's very kind, and means a lot!!!

[MaharlikaTimawa]

Originally Posted by David

What you say is undoubtably true over starting at some point in historic past, but my sense of what MaharlikaTimawa was questioning was whether they were capable of forging such swords at the time of Magellan. So showing an 100 year-old antique Talunasan from GM Giron family does not really answer the question of whether or not the blades that Magellan was finally hacked down with in 1521 were indeed kamplian. Does anyone have an evidence of kampilian that are actually THAT old. Not saying they didn't exist, but i have never seen the empirical evidence to support the claim.

Yes, this is what I meant when I refer to swords of the more animistic groups in the Philippines prior to having such a heavy spanish influence on their blades.