Dajak Handle human bone

[Dajak]

Dajak handle human bone

Take a look at the inlay

[nechesh]

That's very interesting Dajak. Thanks for showing it.
This may be pure semantics, but the inlay does not necessarily imply "witchcraft" as you stated in Valjhun's thread, though some of it might serve some talismanic or protective purpose. The silver swirling patterns appear to be purely decorative. The dots and the "X" might serve a talismanic purpose and the engraved symbol as well, but as a stickler for language i would hardly call this "witchcraft". That is a more specific and Euro-centric term. The true meanings of these symbols will probably never be revealed, but they certainly are culturally specific to the Dayak. It is interesting that the dot pattern is almost set up in a Tree of Life pattern, though i highly doubt this is a reference to anything Qabalistic. Still an interesting coincidence. If i were a Moslem i might mark my blade with a passage from the Quran...a Christian, a cross....a Jew, Solomon's seal....and so on, but i wouldn't label that examples of "witchcraft".
Did this mandau also come with a sheath? If so, how is that decorated?

[Tim Simmons]

At last someone else has said Euro-centric and not a European, I agree completely. I think it can be difficult to move forward without emptying all the baggage.

[Dajak]

I do not mean the silver inlay or the brass dots it is very hard to see on the pic

It has a nice scabbard there are marks on the blade that looks like witchcraft signs thats why I use the term I only see that on items that shaman s use
to give protection

Keltisch people from England use also signs some times called witchcraft signs
but are not

The story about the dots goes that every head that was taken a dot was put in the mandau ( Never get any proof off this)

[RhysMichael]

What an excellent example. Thanks for sharing this

[Dajak]

scabbard

[nechesh]

Originally Posted by Dajak

I do not mean the silver inlay or the brass dots it is very hard to see on the pic

It has a nice scabbard there are marks on the blade that looks like witchcraft signs thats why I use the term I only see that on items that shaman s use
to give protection

Keltisch people from England use also signs some times called witchcraft signs
but are not

The story about the dots goes that every head that was taken a dot was put in the mandau ( Never get any proof off this)

Yes Dajak, i understand that you are referring to engraved symbol on the blade, not the inlays. Sorry to confuse you by commenting on the other designs.
My point is that this symbol could hardly have anything to do with "witchcraft" which is a Euro-centric folk magick tradition. I think that it is important that we try to be as academically correct as possible in these discussions. Witchcraft is a somewhat specific term which cannot be applied to the Dayak. Kelts, on the otherhand, can legitimately lay claim to the term, so i am confused as to what Keltic signs from England you are referring to which are not related to witchcraft.
Shaman is also a cultural appropiation, as it truly only applies to the Turkic-Mongol cultures of northern Asia and Mongolia. It is often used in a broad and generic way that is totally incorrect to it's original intent. I am sure that the Dayak have their own terminology that is far more exacting and descriptive of the type of magick or mysticism that these symbols might be applied to.

[Tim Simmons]

Could be from the the same village?