Odd kampilan

[xasterix]

Some notes on this oddity:

-25.5in blade length, 35.5in overall.
-Hilt looks late 1800s.
-Blade is double-edged on the last 5 inches going to tip. The guard looks replaced.
-The guard and bottom part of the pommel 'jaw' is clad in copper-dominant brass.
-The blade has a construction similar to that of "kapit sundang" or clamp-type kris.
-The plate has possible Lontara characters (yet to be studied and translated). There are different (non-mirrored) characters per side.
-There are faint triangular patterns on the nickel-silver cladding indicative of Maranao make.

Comments are welcome.

[drac2k]

Wow;what a beauty!!!!

[Battara]

Amazing!

Would the copper piece on the guard have had bells on it?

[xasterix]

Originally Posted by Battara

Amazing!

Would the copper piece on the guard have had bells on it?

Yes, that's right! A Mindanao researcher pointed out that there were missing/lost attachments, such as: trade bells, attached textile, some parts of the nickel-silver cladding. Adding more pics- spine, grip view, pommel side-view, and the blade- aside from the lamination, there's brass mixed in.

[Ian]

Xas,

Nice. Unusual.

For such an elaborately decorated piece the business end of the blade seems remarkably plain. I used to think that the "unfinished" versions of kampilan (no terminal spike, etc.) perhaps indicated blades made in a hurry for an expected conflict. But I now think that some were just made that way (owner's preference ???). Thoughts?

[xasterix]

Originally Posted by Ian

Xas,

Nice. Unusual.

For such an elaborately decorated piece the business end of the blade seems remarkably plain. I used to think that the "unfinished" versions of kampilan (no terminal spike, etc.) perhaps indicated blades made in a hurry for an expected conflict. But I now think that some were just made that way (owner's preference ???). Thoughts?

Halloo Ian! I believe the variety in length and tip-end is likely indicative of era and area nuances. I've noticed that relatively shorter kampilans (25in thereabouts) like this one tend to be light and fast wield, as opposed to the longer ones (29in+) that were used for executions, which are really slow and require significant wielding strength.

I also believe that this kampilan started out as a normal one, then was gradually added bling as the swordbearer or the datu himself became prosperous in deeds and resources.

As additional info- a Malaysian collector and researcher, Mohamad Azwadi, was kind enough to help me translate the Arabic script on one plate (the two sides have different engravings, but both are in Arabic).

The engraving, مداد بعدنا لا حامد لامة, is in Arabic script. When transposed to Jawi, it's a dua (prayer) that runs thus: "Bantulah, selepas kami (kalau mati) tiada lagi yang akan memuji (Allah) untuk ummah." In English: "Help, after us (if we die), no one will praise (Allah SWT) for the religious community."

The pattern of the prayer is highly similar to the Prophet Muhammad's (SAW) prayer to Allah (SWT) for succorance during the Battle of Badr. The Prophet's (SAW) band of 314 men was about to clash with the enemy's 950 soldiers. Allah (SWT) answered his prayer by sending angels to the battlefield, resulting in a win for the Prophet's (SAW) forces.

Azwadi believes the dua was added to the kampilan to indicate the owner's complete faith in Allah (SWT) and to celebrate his success in battle.