Sea cow used for Iban hilts

Mytribalworld · 3rd July 2011, 10:16 AM

Hi Michael,

I strongly doubt the whole Steller seacow story:

A: Its an artic living animal and of course its p[ossible that someone exported the bones to Borneo but actually I don't see any reason for that.
It should make the handle extra expensive while dearantler has almost the same effect.

B: the structure /grain of your examples are following the fork shape while a handle from seacow most likely should have all the grain in one line.

C: dearantler can be enourmous various in quality and color and it looks to me that ( the Kenya like) is carved quite near the spongeous centre.
If you come closer to that centre you have indeed more "bonelike" structure on the surface.

D: What I doubt if a animistic Dayak would easily accept to take a "dead ?'' bone from an animal he doesn't know and carve from that a handle that he carry with him the whole day.
Antler has a special reason as its one of the "fastgrowers" ( like hair, nails,tusks, horn) and so "loaded" with "living power",sometimes also special kinds of wood ( specially shaped roots etc).

E: About that human bone handles, maybe they are human and seacow as well, carved from the bone from an anourmous fat lady.....

Arjan

3rd July 2011, 10:16 AM	#11
Mytribalworld Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 400	Hi Michael, I strongly doubt the whole Steller seacow story: A: Its an artic living animal and of course its p[ossible that someone exported the bones to Borneo but actually I don't see any reason for that. It should make the handle extra expensive while dearantler has almost the same effect. B: the structure /grain of your examples are following the fork shape while a handle from seacow most likely should have all the grain in one line. C: dearantler can be enourmous various in quality and color and it looks to me that ( the Kenya like) is carved quite near the spongeous centre. If you come closer to that centre you have indeed more "bonelike" structure on the surface. D: What I doubt if a animistic Dayak would easily accept to take a "dead ?'' bone from an animal he doesn't know and carve from that a handle that he carry with him the whole day. Antler has a special reason as its one of the "fastgrowers" ( like hair, nails,tusks, horn) and so "loaded" with "living power",sometimes also special kinds of wood ( specially shaped roots etc). E: About that human bone handles, maybe they are human and seacow as well, carved from the bone from an anourmous fat lady..... Arjan