CONGRADULATIONS I WOULD SAY THAT IT WAS DEFINITELY YOUR LUCKY DAY AS MOST OF THESE KIND OF THINGS END UP ON EBAY WHERE YOU HAVE TO BID AGAINST THE DEALERS AND COLLECTORS OF THE ENTIRE WORLD.
OFTEN THE OPINION ON MANY ETHINOGRAPHIC WEAPONS IS THAT ANYTHING AFTER A CERTAN DATE IS TOURIST STUFF AND NOT REAL TRIBAL ARTEFACT. IN MY OPINION THIS IS NOT TRUE! , FOR INSTANCE WHEN HEADHUNTING ENDED SWORDS WERE STILL CARRIED AND USED FOR WORK AS JUNGLE KNIVES AND TOOLS. THEY ALSO SERVE THE PURPOSE OF SELF DEFENSE,STATUS AND ARE USED FOR CEREMONYS EVEN TO THE PRESENT TIME IN MANY AREAS.
IN TODAYS WORLD THE SWORDS USED FOR CEREMONY OR TO DENOTE STATUS OR WEALTH WOULD BE MORE ORNATE THAN THOSE USED AS TOOLS OR JUNGLE KNIVES. I SUSPECT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN TRUE TO A CERTAN EXTENT IN THE PAST , AS QUITE A BIT OF A WARRIORS WEALTH WOULD BE TIED UP IN A GOOD SWORD. SO PERHAPS THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD MORE THAN ONE IF THEY COULD AFFORD IT OR WOULD HAVE DONE THEIR OWN CARVEING AND DECORATION TO A MORE PLAIN SWORD UNTIL THEY COULD AFFORD BETTER.
I WOULD SAY THE CARVING ON YOUR EXAMPLE WAS DONE BY A MASTER CARVER DUE TO ITS QUALITY AND THE SIZE OF THE DEER ANTLER USED.
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