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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 999
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I noticed that this Kris has copper dots inset on the top part of the blade, the dots are on both sides of the sword.
Do you Forumites think that these were just place randomly or do they have any talismanic values. Any ideas |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The Sharp end
Posts: 2,928
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Interesting blade. Are they buddhists? Do the star designs represent the eightfold path?
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#3 |
Keris forum moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,098
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I would say that given the other talismanic signs that there is probably similar purpose behind the copper dots.
The number 8 certainly does seem to have some significance here, but i doubt it has a Buddhist connection. However, i couldn't begin to guess at it's actual meaning. Very interesting blade. ![]() |
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#4 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Detroit (New Mayapan)
Posts: 96
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I read once, in a story which took place in the Philippines, that warriors would drill holes into their kamplians and fill them with brass for every enemy they killed with that blade.
Truth? |
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#5 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,200
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Nice piece, especially love the talismans on the blade. Dots - yes purposeful, but meaning - ?
![]() Holes for slain - not enough evidence one way or the other. ![]() Also looks Maguindanao, and I love the unusual baka-baka clamp of silver. |
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#6 | |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,252
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Hello Albert,
Congrats, that's a very nice piece again! Quote:
Regards, Kai |
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#7 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,200
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I agree with Kai that the dots are talismanic. I wonder what the meaning could be?
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#8 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sweden
Posts: 1,637
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Interesting piece, congratulations!
I also agree that they must have some meaning, even if we probably never really will know what. Here are two suggestions that maybe(!) could be the case: - Magic; to counter an enemy who has powers not to be hurt by steel by adding another metal in the blade. - Symbolic leverage; by including 4 higher powers in the blade they will assist the owner in the fight. I don't know which 4 powers but the most common ones are: the 4 archangels, the 4 rulers of the corners of the earth, the 4 elements, the 4 friends of the Prophet etc. Just ideas, but based on ethnographic information collected in the same cultural area. Michael |
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#9 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The Sharp end
Posts: 2,928
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Lovely sword by the way Kino,
Are there definately only the four dots? No others further down the blade? |
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#10 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 999
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A lot of good theories. Thanks.
Atlantia, No not Buddhist, the Moro's are Muslims. There are only four copper dots on each side of the blade. Battara- Upon closer inspection the clamp seems to be made of copper that was covered in silver. I have seen suassa over silver, this is my first encounter with silver over copper. Kai- No hairline crack inline with the dots. Although there is evidence of a repair to the tang. VVV- I can't invalidate your theory, anything is possible. Does the dots have anything to do with the tang repair? Cato said that the Jin is released if the blade is separated from the ganya. I wonder if the dots were placed on the blade prior to doing the repair, to prevent the Jin from escaping. Which came first the tang repair or the copper dots??? |
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