Imported Middle Eastern Sword ( Kampilan)

[kino]

I acquired a bundle of horsehair years ago, I believe it’s from the tail. Compared to what’s on some of my Kamps, it’s about the same firmness. I’ve read somewhere that goat hair were also used, where the hair is harvested from I don’t know.

I’ve seen a similar scabbard thick and hexagonal as you mentioned, here on the Forum, I couldn’t locate it. I’ll keep searching.

Here one that I worked on. I dyed the hair, It was darker whey I removed it from the dye bath, but got lighter when I rinsed it. The overhead light makes it look shiny. Might have to do-over.

[Jim McDougall]

As the topic here is kampilans, I wanted to add my example I've had for many years, but have many questions on it and far outside my usual areas.

I am curious about the cloth still attached to it, and with a rope type fixture rather than staple as seen on some others here. The blade does not seem to have the usual profiling either, I'd really appreciate you guys opinions.

[Rick]

I believe that this sword may be Iranun as I gathered from a fellow member who expressed an interest in in my example. Possibly the configuration of the point was what led him to classify it as such.
The Munsala was attached to this sword by a woven collar that was around the hilt rather than woven through the holes in the cross guard as your example shows.
I also have a Parang Nabur that has a Munsala attached to it in the same manner.
Both cloths show extreme age.

[Jim McDougall]

What exactly is a munsala?

[kino]

Jim, regarding you Kampilan blade, I have seen quite a few Kampilan blade profile similar to yours, although not uncommon they’re not as prolific as the ones with the spikes.

Munsala - some say it’s a fetish cloth, some, a talisman blessed by an Imam, others say it is used to secure your hand to the hilt by tying around.

Rick, going back to you entry regarding missing staples,
They must have been an option like Gavin questioned. I also have seen where there were once staple guard on a crosspiece and was removed. No telling when it was removed.

There’s no evidence on this one having an iron staple guard. The set of holes had one had a cord loop thru them.


The two below doesn’t have holes for the staple guards

[Rick]

Originally Posted by kino

Rick, going back to your entry regarding missing staples,
They must have been an option like Gavin questioned. I also have seen where there were once staple guard on a crosspiece and was removed. No telling when it was removed.

There’s no evidence on this one having an iron staple guard. The set of holes had one had a cord loop thru them.
Attachment 232530

The two below doesn’t have holes for the staple guards
Attachment 232531

Hi Kino
Okay, Obviously the swords you showed were never drilled which I guess would mean that the person who commissioned them did not want them drilled for staple/s; I get that part. This brings up the question; why are the holes drilled in the guard of Jim's example? Certainly not just to hold the Munsala in place. Could Jim's sword have been passed down from a family member, or was it taken in combat with another tribe?
I can't see the point in drilling staple holes in a guard if it wasn't asked for by the fellow who commissioned the weapon.

By the way, Jim how many holes are drilled in your guard 2 3 or 4?

[Gavin Nugent]

Robust discussion!

Following Kino's lead, I went off looking for the similar scabbard that has me intrigued. I could not locate one similar within the pages.

The only other ones I recall, one partial hexagonal in the Penn Museum, another in my collection, it though in not as thick as this one looks to be at the base, nor does it have what looks to be a carved protrusion at the end, another in the entourage of Datu Piang, with the additional carry handle,

Some of these others seen that are close but not quite close enough to my eye, are below. Happy to take advice on the nature of these hexagonal types, flaring at the base or not.

I did see this one as a side note, one of Ron's with staple and rope or remains of a munsala.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...pilan+scabbard

And another with quite narrow spacing of the holes, rope and munsala only.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collec...914-Loan01-583

[Rick]

I believe it serves the same purpose as a sword knot Jim. I expect that an anting anting could be incorporated in one.
A search here for Munsala will bring up some hits.

I see we crossed posts Kino; obviously from the photographic evidence the 'staples' were optional, but why drill holes in the cross guard when one could more easily make a tight loop around the handle to attach the munsala?

[kino]

Originally Posted by Rick

but why drill holes in the cross guard when one could more easily make a tight loop around the handle to attach the munsala?

I guess we’ll never know. I’ve seen an example where the Munsala was tied around the handle, not by a cord looped thru the bare holes.

Regarding the missing staple guard, here’s one that was clearly removed by cutting, only the nubs remain.

[Gavin Nugent]

I got looking at this again today Kino.

I enlarged the photo. Some interesting features that align with your thoughts, not silver but interesting.