Without seeing or handling it in person, my first impulse is to say the it was probably a"state" weapon, as used by guards at the gates, for example, as opposed to a general purpose melee weapon.
It's my understanding that the area was, and still is in many instances, heavily occupied by local warlords, each with their own retinue and weapons such as this would seem ideal.
The work put into it suggests more than purely decorative intent, while, like many polearms, the form likely had its beginnings as an agricultural tool.
Would not a piece such as this also be effective against horsemen?
While not something many westerners think of, the elephants were not, by far, the only animals ridden into battle in SE Asia.
Mike
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