Edge weapons at Capodimonte Museum
 

Hi all,
I was in Napoli, and took these bad pics (dued to the glass and the light) at the Capodimonte museum. They looks to me very remarkable !!!! I love the pandit, the parang latok, the belida and pade, but i never saw a similar kampilan (?).
regards
Paolo

Hello Paolo,

Thanks for sharing those pics! It's great to get to see stuff from museum collections (especially those which may be less widely known internationally - while the Museo di Capodimonte is better known for its non-ethnographic collections).

BTW, any pics of the pieces on the wall in the background? Did you got any close-ups (also from the labels)?


I would not call that a kampilan (even if possibly constructed from a recycled kampilan blade): Clearly, the hilt got crafted on Flores (or neighbouring islands) - really a nice piece with history! Can you estimate the blade length?

The parang latok, belida, pade, and tangkin (its larger cousin called pandat or pandit) are very nice examples, indeed! I can't remember seeing a latok|buko with hair at the pommel - would be great to get some input from our Dayak specialists! Does the belida blade exhibit twistcore?

IMHO, both mandau appear to have good age and to originate from the Modang (at least the one with wooden hilt).

Thanks again for posting, Paolo!

Regards,
Kai

Unlikely I'm no more in Napoli; so I can't give more information ! The Kampilan (?) blade was about 65 - 75 cm long; the showcase was quite dark so I can't tell if the belida blade was twistcore. I didn't take pics of the many edged weapons on the wall; those i sent looks to me the more interesting; however there was also another showcase with an interesting collection of indonesian kerises.
I hope someone else, more clever to take pics, will send better and more pics. Attached a pic of a good keris.
Paolo