Beyond geographic vs cultural/ethnic denotations, temporal periodization could help further classify items, particularly in a geographic sense. Particularly for weapons that cannot be classified via a certain ethnic group, a temporal/geographic monicker may be more helpful? Particularly since internal migration was somewhat limited and more traceable pre-American occupation (eg. aside from individual exceptions, large migrations of people were usually only under official impetus and aid of the Spanish Colonial government, or at least traced by them). But then there is the issue of how many pre-American pieces, with provenance are out there to aid in a typography. Hmm...I just read that and it didnt make sense to me, so oh well. I guess Im trying to say, in Moro Swords, Bob Cato limited his study sample to pre-1930 pieces, still a broad spectrum, but limiting by time period helps to make the study a little smaller and more manageable. But then there is the issue of actually dating these pieces, and affixing items to various time periods, and with a lack of provenance this becomes difficult. Oh well...just rambling, brain is a little fried at the moment. Though hopefully next week, with the start of break itll start working again.
