Thread: panabas
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Old 11th May 2005, 06:44 PM   #7
Bill
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Pigafetta: "They shot so many arrows at us and hurled so many bamboo spears, some of them tipped with iron, at the Captain-General, besides pointed stakes hardened with fire, stones, and mud, that we could scarcely defend ourselves." (Magellan's 49 against 3 divisions, est. 1,500) From what I have been able to find, early 16thC, blowpipes & wooden arrows seem to the majority of weapons in the PI, I have little doubt that metal working is throughout the PI at this time but nothing to the extent that it is in Brunei and Celebes. As Brunei excercises control over most of the PI, it would make no sence to promote swordmaking. By the latter half of the 16thC this seems to change to a well armed Southern PI, this might be explained by the support of the Sultans of Brunei & Makassar in thier support of the "Moro" against the Spanish. As far as cannon making, Brunei was making them, but if you do a little searching you will find that the cannon making in Luzon is introduced by either the Japanese or two shipwrecked Spanish sailors, take your pick, but I haven't seen anything that claims early 15thC cannon making in the PI.
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