Thanks, Nik!
The double mark is weird. In the coastal communities, there certainly may have been some Islamic bladesmiths venturing into forging such blades - however, marking the blades in this fashion seems like quite a western and/or late influence...
The western mark seems most like a remnant already present from the raw material. Once "modern" western steel became available/affordable, it quickly became the preferred material for tools due to its reliability. The relatively plain look of this mandau blade may support such a utilitarian notion for a real user blade rather than something focusing on ceremonial use.
Regards,
Kai
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