Kalinga head axe pangkat class variant

[Battara]

Greetings Folks,

I got this not to long ago from eBay. It was a wreck and I had to restore bands, make new nails, and take off much of the red rust off the blade (the blade also had some dents in the edge and a broken point). The bottom nickel-copper part was also coming off, so I find that as well. Finally, the handle stop was broken off, so I made another one and colored it ti match the original patina as best as I could.

Unlike a lot of these from different Igorot tribes, the brass bands are not pierced but "pin prick repousse" only. Also there is a section of the hilt that does not have any nail holes nor any sign it was covered in brass originally.

This is a pangkat class piece, but I am wondering about the meaning of the decoration. Could it be a form of centipede? (see close ups).

I was going to sell this, but I have since changed my mind.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

[Battara]

Oh I had forgotten these pictures of similar variants:

[Sajen]

Very good restore job Jose! :) :cool:

Regards,
Detlef

[xasterix]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaupIRhKZdE

Headaxe and spear- 25:16

It reminds me of that :)

[Ian]

Nice restoration job Jose. You should be working at the Smithsonian. ;)

[Battara]

Thank you so much folks.

The Smithsonian.......... :D

Xasterix - nice old film, thanks.

Do you think the designs could be a centipede? A stylized crocodile?

[Battara]

From a couple of sources I found out that the symbolic motifs on the brass bands on this piece are snakes.

I will need to firm up these sources.

[Battara]

By the way, I found a picture of the piece pre-restoration: