Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 15th June 2021, 09:14 PM

[QUOTE=Ian;263576]Hi Jim,

What a nice piece and the face strikes me as very unusual on a pedang lurus. Such a clear representation of a human face on the hilt and scabbard seems antithetical to Muslim tradition, where abstract features are much more common. Perhaps this tradition applies more to keris than other Indonesian weapons, although Moro weapons use only abstract decorations of living creatures.

One possibility may be that your sword was designed for a foreigner.

I'm afraid I don't know the significance of a face on your sword and scabbard. Alan Maisey, Kai, Detlef, and others who have a better understanding of Indonesian weapons may have a clearer idea.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

Regards,

Ian.[/QUO

Thank you so much Ian! So I guess this is quite an anomaly as suggested by the absence of response.

15th June 2021, 09:14 PM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,760	[QUOTE=Ian;263576]Hi Jim, What a nice piece and the face strikes me as very unusual on a pedang lurus. Such a clear representation of a human face on the hilt and scabbard seems antithetical to Muslim tradition, where abstract features are much more common. Perhaps this tradition applies more to keris than other Indonesian weapons, although Moro weapons use only abstract decorations of living creatures. One possibility may be that your sword was designed for a foreigner. I'm afraid I don't know the significance of a face on your sword and scabbard. Alan Maisey, Kai, Detlef, and others who have a better understanding of Indonesian weapons may have a clearer idea. Sorry I can't be more specific. Regards, Ian.[/QUO Thank you so much Ian! So I guess this is quite an anomaly as suggested by the absence of response.