[VANDOO]

IN THE PICTURES SHOWING THE HEAD AX BEING CARRIED THRUST THRU A CORD AROUND THE WAIST . I NOTE THAT SOME HAVE THE HEAD FACEING IN A DOWNWARD DIRECTION (ITS BELOW THE WAIST BAND) IN OTHERS THE HEAD IS ABOVE THE WAIST BAND. THIS WOULD BE OK WHEN AT LEASURE BUT WOULD NOT WORK WELL IF ONE WAS RUNNING OR JUMPING AROUND. IT COULD EITHER FALL OUT OR INJURE YOU WITH ITS EDGE OR SPIKE.
THE MIDDLE PICTURE IN THE LAST SERIES PROBABLY SHOWS ACCURATELY HOW ONE WOULD CARRY SPEAR, SHIELD AND AX WHEN TRAVELING FAST OR PREPARING FOR ACTION. IN LUZON PERHAPS IF THE AX WAS A PRIMARY WEAPON THE AX AND SHIELD WOULD BE IN THE SAME HAND INITIALLY AND WHEN THE SPEAR WAS THROWN OR STUCK IN A FOE THE AX COULD BE CHANGED OVER TO THE FREE HAND FOR THE FINAL STRIKES.

THERE ARE A FEW POSTS ON THESE AX'S IN THE OLD FORUM ARCHIVES SEARCH FOR PHILIPPINE AXES POSTED BY VANDOO 12/22/2003 THERE IS SOME INFO AND SOME PICTURES ARE STILL THERE ALSO.
HERE IS A PICTURE OF ONE OF MY AXS FROM THAT POST. IT WAS IDENTIFIED FOR ME AS AN AX USED BY THE YAPAYAO PEOPLE OF APAYAO AND PARTS OF LLOCOS NORTE, TWO PROVENCES IN NORTH LUZON. IT IS REFERRED TO THERE AS AN "ALIWA" AND WAS SAID IN THIS CASE TO BE A BINAROY TYPE.