Thanks for the input guys!
Ariel, thanks so much for high praise. It is true that I love to find a "twist" in a unique piece.
I can easily see this piece as a tool with only a secondary purpose as a weopn...if at all. That would explain the way it handles almost my necessity as a "cleaver". It would also explain the all business aspect of its construction. We know that some tools from the region are decorated as well. Just think about some of the betel nut cutters we have seen.
The only reason I might want to second guess the moniker of "tool" for this item is the time and effort put into the blade, just as Ariel suggested. I can imagine a much more simply constructed blade doing the job of a chopper or machete.
