Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

BluErf · 7th September 2009, 01:27 PM

I guess most sepokal blades look alike.

I'm not sure if there is such thing as a regional standard for such blades, though if there is, it may be quite hard to define. A lot of such identification goes by "feel", which leaves a lot of room for inaccuracies.

The big bulge in the batang has been associated with Sulawesi. It seems that the Straits Bugis (from both Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia) do have such features. Combined with the pendoko and hilt, which are undoubtedly Sulawesi, I'd be inclined to say the whole piece is most likely Sulawesi.

Sumbawa is a region close to Bali, inhabited by Bugis as well. I myself is still trying to figure out what makes a Sumbawa keris.

7th September 2009, 01:27 PM	#12
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	I guess most sepokal blades look alike. I'm not sure if there is such thing as a regional standard for such blades, though if there is, it may be quite hard to define. A lot of such identification goes by "feel", which leaves a lot of room for inaccuracies. The big bulge in the batang has been associated with Sulawesi. It seems that the Straits Bugis (from both Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia) do have such features. Combined with the pendoko and hilt, which are undoubtedly Sulawesi, I'd be inclined to say the whole piece is most likely Sulawesi. Sumbawa is a region close to Bali, inhabited by Bugis as well. I myself is still trying to figure out what makes a Sumbawa keris.