Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Jimpul --- Comments?

CharlesS · 22nd February 2005, 01:30 AM

Gorgeous sword form top to bottom! I especially like the silver hilt fittings...obviously this bad boy belonged to someone of status, and was probably influenced by other Indonesian...maybe Sumatran??...silver work and style.

As for age, I got a great lesson on not assuming too much while watching the video series "Circle of Fire". In one episode Borneo and a particular group of Dyaks are being explored and recorded in the late 1970s. I drooled in amazement as several warriors put on a dance with gorgeous mandaus and jimpuls, but apparently not such old ones. I also noticed that they were poorly maintained and dirty and slightly rusty....this is a continuing source of frustration for me about Indo-Malay weapons. OUTSIDE of the keris, there seems to be little or no interest in the maintainence and upkeep of blades.

22nd February 2005, 01:30 AM	#4
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,855	Gorgeous sword form top to bottom! I especially like the silver hilt fittings...obviously this bad boy belonged to someone of status, and was probably influenced by other Indonesian...maybe Sumatran??...silver work and style. As for age, I got a great lesson on not assuming too much while watching the video series "Circle of Fire". In one episode Borneo and a particular group of Dyaks are being explored and recorded in the late 1970s. I drooled in amazement as several warriors put on a dance with gorgeous mandaus and jimpuls, but apparently not such old ones. I also noticed that they were poorly maintained and dirty and slightly rusty....this is a continuing source of frustration for me about Indo-Malay weapons. OUTSIDE of the keris, there seems to be little or no interest in the maintainence and upkeep of blades. Last edited by CharlesS; 22nd February 2005 at 12:46 PM.