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Green
16th October 2021, 05:55 PM
I have this mandau hilt with motifs that I have not seen before. On both sides of the hilt surface, there were several carvings that Look like little heads/skulls?

Are these merely whimsical decorations or are they also some form of cultural symbols/meanings like lemantek (leeches) or Aso?

The hilt has a good patina and probably quite old.

Can you fellow mandau lovers/experts give comments and also which dayak tribe/region this is from?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

asomotif
17th October 2021, 01:24 PM
Wow, what a lovely handle.

I think they are little dragons (aso's) surfacing. Very nice.

kai
4th November 2021, 08:42 AM
Hello Willem,

I think they are little dragons (aso's) surfacing.
Hmm, I don't see aso here - no teeth? Could you please explain or show similar motifs?

From the available pics, I'd lean towards heads (or aliens :D).

Nik, could you post close-ups of the pommel with better resolution, please? (You may have to throw more light during photography for better results.)

Regards,
Kai

kai
4th November 2021, 09:01 AM
Hello Nik,

Apologies for joining in late at the party... ;)

Congrats, that's a really nice hilt! (No idea what dealers or "art collectors" think when they remove hilts from blades though... :mad: :()

I especially like that the face works in both directions:
Regular orientation with 2 faces and inverted with 1 face - sweet! :D

As mentioned, please post close-ups with better resolution - thanks a lot!

Regards,
Kai

Green
8th November 2021, 02:27 PM
Thanks Asomotif and Kai;

I also don't think these are aso, and they look like little heads.
I will try to take close up pics when I'm back home sometimes next week.

asomotif
8th November 2021, 09:03 PM
I mean aso heads, I see a nose , 2 eyes and 2 ears.

kai
8th November 2021, 09:13 PM
Thanks for the additional example, Willem!

Yes, I now see what you mean - could be the top of the head with pretty much only the upper jaw being visible from above, indeed. Will be interesting to get some more shots from different angles once Nik has a chance.

Regards,
Kai

kai
8th November 2021, 09:33 PM
Mandau (and related) hilts are really 3-dimensional works of art that one needs to hold in hand to fully appreciate!

Regards,
Kai

Sajen
8th November 2021, 09:53 PM
Mandau (and related) hilts are really 3-dimensional works of art that one needs to hold in hand to fully appreciate!

Indeed!

Green
15th November 2021, 01:51 PM
I think Asomotif's opinion is right. The little heads look like the one on his mandau's hilt.

Here are another two marginally clearer pics. I'm hopeless with taking pics.

kai
15th November 2021, 04:03 PM
Thanks, Nik!

Yes, clearly related.

Neat piece - let me know if ... ;)

Regards,
Kai

asomotif
17th November 2021, 10:07 PM
I think Asomotif's opinion is right. The little heads look like the one on his mandau's hilt.

My mandau hilt... I wish. The picture is from the sold section on mytribalart.com