Eggs.  An interesting point.  To me the egg shape is so distinctive you do not have to be much of a craftsmen to communicate the idea.  Also the arcs that could be eggs, are placed  in an ordered pattern that look very much like scales of either a reptile or fish.  I am not at all sure but to me the art work on this blade is to be seen and easily understood.  What may seem a jumble of simple marks to our eyes given our educated/channeled views of communicating may make it difficult to read a very simple message.  Also there could be the tendancy to see far more than is actually there.  I could also be talking out of my ///// 

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Could fire breathing be from the relatively long European influence in the PI. ?