Unusual shape Chinese?? Spear/ Polearm

[Nathaniel]

Originally Posted by freebooter

Hi Nathaniel,

Since our previous conversations I've delved a little further and I now have seen another complete example and its context with other Thai arms. After viewing this piece, I am convinced this is Thai, not Chinese.

Hard to call it a spear in the pure sense as I couldn't imagine this type of weapon to be thrown, there is just no symetrical balance to it, so perhaps a 'pike' is a more apt name.
In line with a pike, I see these as a thrusting weapon or to be dug in to the ground to brace against an onslaught, one that may be quite effective in numbers against an Elephant with that thick weighted head?

Gav

Thanks guys for chiming in....non quite sure it's Thai....definitely not standard among the common pantheon of Thai polearms. Even though the collection you are talking about Gavin was pictured with other Thai polearms, no one is clear though that it's Thai...there are some examples I've seen of Thai & Burmese polearms which have a knife like blade (ie sharp only on one side)...some symmetrical some not...and I've been told their influence is from southern China....still none of them have this unique shape Can anyone think of other examples of polearms that are more knife blade shape like???