Kris - Sulu, Maguindanao, or...?

[Ian]

Hi Gustav,

The geometry of these blades is hard to eyeball I think, and different camera angles can be tricky. It's also difficult to determine the medial line for a blade that has waves. That's why I draw the lines and see how they fit.

I did this with your example (attached), and I can see only a very small angle of deviation of the medial line of the blade and the corresponding line of the hilt (which I have not drawn but I think it is fairly obvious that there is little deviation). Perhaps I should amend my earlier statement and say that the orientation of Sulu blades deviate less from the medial longitudinal line of the hilt than Mindanao blades.

It seems there is room for study of this feature with measurement of the angle of deviation using pictures shot from directly above the sword. Comparison of clearly Maranao, Maguindanao and Sulu pieces should provide the answer.

Ian

P.S. Thank you for the terminology as it applies to keris in regard to this feature.


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