Balatos

Rick · 20th June 2006, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by micas

In addition to a deer horn, there are a couple smaller teeth adorning the basket on the 1st piece which I can't really figure out. They lack the striations like growth rings evident on the big boar tusks. Might be tooth from crocs or young boar tusks?

The 2nd balato's basket actually encloses what looks like another tusk. Can't really get a clear look since the external pieces are pretty tightly knit shut around the basket. Initially thought it might have just been a piece that fell in but it's not stained like the externals.

Actually forgot that there's such a thing as wood glue, duh. Heh. I've been working in technology way too long.

Crocodile teeth are (or used to be) seen quite frequently on older Balatos ; the ball of tusks or teeth often contains small fetish objects that have meaning to the sword's owner ; most of the time they were removed before selling or bartering the sword .

I used to have a very nice older example with a large boar's tusk ball ; it now resides in the collection of this forum's founder . One must take care in preservation of the tusks as they tend to flake and get brittle with age .

micas · 21st June 2006, 12:43 PM

Flavio: Here's a couple pics with measurements.

micas · 21st June 2006, 12:46 PM

Here's close-ups of those smaller teeth. Are these just immature tusks or teeth from some other animal?

Rick · 21st June 2006, 02:26 PM

I'm no expert but I don't believe the smaller teeth are Boar ; but what the Devil is that large tooth with the huge wierd base shown in the center of the topmost picture .

Tim Simmons · 21st June 2006, 02:34 PM

Looks like an antler from a small forest deer.

Ian · 21st June 2006, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

I'm no expert but I don't believe the smaller teeth are Boar ; but what the Devil is that large tooth with the huge wierd base shown in the center of the topmost picture .

I think we have a mixture of items here. The small "teeth" could be claws -- they resemble bear claws on one of my Sumatran jimpul. The larger object referred to by Rick looks like a small stag antler. AFAIK there are forest deer throughout SE Asia, but I don't know specifically about Nias.

Ian (two of three)

A Malayan Sun Bear -- endangered specie

micas · 21st June 2006, 03:03 PM

Yup, it's an antler. Don't know from what species though.

The tooth in my hand is hollow btw; so I don't think it's a claw.

I know crocodile teeth is hollow. A Dayak showed me one tooth from a freshwater croc they accidentally caught in a fishing net - in Kalimantan, not Nias.

I wonder which endangered species are represented on this balato

Rick · 21st June 2006, 03:33 PM

They could also be the teeth of small cetaceans such as the Pilot Whale or any of the small toothed whales found in the area .

While we're on the subject of Nias :

http://nias.natmus.dk/photographs.htm

Enjoy the collection ; there are some gems in here for the finding .

21st June 2006, 12:43 PM	#2
micas Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 30	Flavio: Here's a couple pics with measurements. Attached Images

21st June 2006, 12:46 PM	#3
micas Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 30	Here's close-ups of those smaller teeth. Are these just immature tusks or teeth from some other animal? Attached Images

21st June 2006, 02:26 PM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	I'm no expert but I don't believe the smaller teeth are Boar ; but what the Devil is that large tooth with the huge wierd base shown in the center of the topmost picture .

21st June 2006, 02:34 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Looks like an antler from a small forest deer.

21st June 2006, 03:03 PM	#7
micas Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 30	Yup, it's an antler. Don't know from what species though. The tooth in my hand is hollow btw; so I don't think it's a claw. I know crocodile teeth is hollow. A Dayak showed me one tooth from a freshwater croc they accidentally caught in a fishing net - in Kalimantan, not Nias. I wonder which endangered species are represented on this balato

21st June 2006, 03:33 PM	#8
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	They could also be the teeth of small cetaceans such as the Pilot Whale or any of the small toothed whales found in the area . While we're on the subject of Nias : http://nias.natmus.dk/photographs.htm Enjoy the collection ; there are some gems in here for the finding .