Hemola from Savu Island (Type E )

[Athanase]

Hello,

This is my second sword from "Timor": a Hemola from Savu island (the seller bought it on the place).
I also have another handle of the same style (Type E in Timor's sword classification) but whithout provenance, so it's possible that it comes from the island of Roti where the parang are similar to Savu.

Unfortunately there was no sheath. :shrug:

Length of the blade: 48cm

[Sajen]

Hello Séverin,

I am surprised that nobody comment until now! :shrug: A very nice Hemola you get there! :) Any signs that the blade is laminated? Was the seller able to tell you more about this sword?
I doubt that someone would be able to distinguish between swords from Savu and Roti, I think that there are not enough examples with clear provenance useful for comparison. But frankly said I don't know if I am correct with my assumption.

Regards,
Detlef

[Athanase]

Hello Detlef,
The blade is laminated but isn't very apparent.
On this sword in particular he had no information, he bought it from the owner's descent, it was totally rusty. For other timor's sword coming from elsewhere (more complete but much more expensive) he had more information up to the name of the village and ethnicity.

[Sajen]

The seller seems to have a nice and interesting collection! ;)

[Athanase]

Yes, but it's He is acollector / professional seller of Indonesian (mainly) ethnographic object (mostly timor), he lives most of the year in Bali.
He also had a "Timor Keris".
A very old javanvaise blade (without the ganja) fully dressed in timor style, but too expensive for me. :shrug:

[Sajen]

Hello Séverin,
Here is my honest one which I have now for a while. Bought it from a lady in Australia, no exact provenance. Like yours it was very rusty. 63,5 cm long with a blade from 48 cm, 8 mm thick behind the handle. Handle from black horn, partley nibbled from rats. Blade is laminated.

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Here are all hemola which were shown at this place, our both, one from Ian and one from Bill M. for comparison.

[Sajen]

And the handles for comparison.

[Maurice]

I doubt that someone would be able to distinguish between swords from Savu and Roti, I think that there are not enough examples with clear provenance useful for comparison. But frankly said I don't know if I am correct with my assumption.

Regards,
Detlef

As a matter of fact, there are several very early collected swords from Roti in the Dutch NMVW collection. Also several with similar hilts like the two that Severin placed.

I am not able to find early collected swords from Savu in the NMVW collection, but I found an old drawing from 1851 of a warrior from Savu carrying a sword.