Another interesting Moro sword

VVV · 24th July 2006, 10:16 PM

Artzi,

I hope the terror very soon will be stopped so that you can leave your shelter and safely walk the multicultural streets of Haifa again.

Very nice Kampilan, did you find it in Europe?

My "working theory" is that the Kampilans with less distinct "jaws" are older than the more usual ones with longer, more open, crocodile jaws (or tail of the swiftlet).
This based on what I have found in old books and European museum collections.
It also seems as if that style were more popular in North Borneo (Sabah). But that could also be because it's further away from the place of origin and that the Kampilans there are older or more old-fashioned in style.
In f.i. Among Primitive People in Borneo by Ivor Evans he claims that the trade of weapons in this area from both Brunei and Sulu/Mindanao was common and of course that the Illanun people originally came from Mindanao.

Look forward to read some more input on this issue.

Michael

spiral · 25th July 2006, 01:20 AM

Take care Artzi, I hope peace reigns in the end. The handle carving on the Kampilion is lovely.

Re. "we spend many hours in the shelter, the business is low,"

Sounds like a good time to hold a "special one off, one time only sale" & clear some old stock from the warehouse, perhaps?

cheers,
Spiral

CharlesS · 25th July 2006, 11:08 AM

WOW!....just one more magnificent piece.

As soon as I saw this I wondered, like VVV, if this piece is from N. Borneo. Just in general observation, I find that some of the finer decorative carving combined with quality blades are attributed to that area.

Maybe some of the tribal specialist will add more.

Bill · 25th July 2006, 04:16 PM

Great sword. Looked through "from the rainbow's varied hue" for the "tiger stripe" pattern on the textile, but no match. Cato's photo #33 has a kampilan with a large scrolled hilt, not a match, but suggests this sword may have been for a bodyguard of important person. Hard to make out the "sundi" or prongs on the top edge of the blade, from your pic. Does appear to be a variation; but if we trust Cato only shows "Philippine" swords, then it really can't be identified from that, as there are plenty of variations.

Ian · 25th July 2006, 04:38 PM

I agree with Charles and Michael that this one is probably N. Borneo. Van Zonneveld shows some examples in his book from N. Borneo as well as the Philippines, and I think this particular hilt style is more consistent with N. Borneo than Mindanao. The suggestion that this one might have been a datu's weapon or "sword of state" has some credibility too.

Beautiful and unusual example of a kampilan. Keep them coming Artzi!

Unfortunately, this conflict seems it will go for a while longer. I hope you and your family stay safe through this dangerous time, and that there will not be many more casualties on either side before a solution is reached.

Ian.

VVV · 25th July 2006, 05:23 PM

I had a look in two other books and found the following illustrations of Kampilans collected in North Borneo in the 19th C.

The first is from Ling Roth, The Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo, published in 1896.

The two other illustrations are from W Hein, Indonesische Schwertgriffe, published in 1899.

Michael

PS Sorry about the picture quality on the Hein 1 but I only have my mobile phone camera available at the moment.

25th July 2006, 05:23 PM	#6
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	I had a look in two other books and found the following illustrations of Kampilans collected in North Borneo in the 19th C. The first is from Ling Roth, The Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo, published in 1896. The two other illustrations are from W Hein, Indonesische Schwertgriffe, published in 1899. Michael PS Sorry about the picture quality on the Hein 1 but I only have my mobile phone camera available at the moment. Attached Images

24th July 2006, 10:16 PM	#1
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Artzi, I hope the terror very soon will be stopped so that you can leave your shelter and safely walk the multicultural streets of Haifa again. Very nice Kampilan, did you find it in Europe? My "working theory" is that the Kampilans with less distinct "jaws" are older than the more usual ones with longer, more open, crocodile jaws (or tail of the swiftlet). This based on what I have found in old books and European museum collections. It also seems as if that style were more popular in North Borneo (Sabah). But that could also be because it's further away from the place of origin and that the Kampilans there are older or more old-fashioned in style. In f.i. Among Primitive People in Borneo by Ivor Evans he claims that the trade of weapons in this area from both Brunei and Sulu/Mindanao was common and of course that the Illanun people originally came from Mindanao. Look forward to read some more input on this issue. Michael

25th July 2006, 01:20 AM	#2
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	Take care Artzi, I hope peace reigns in the end. The handle carving on the Kampilion is lovely. Re. "we spend many hours in the shelter, the business is low," Sounds like a good time to hold a "special one off, one time only sale" & clear some old stock from the warehouse, perhaps? cheers, Spiral

25th July 2006, 11:08 AM	#3
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	WOW!....just one more magnificent piece. As soon as I saw this I wondered, like VVV, if this piece is from N. Borneo. Just in general observation, I find that some of the finer decorative carving combined with quality blades are attributed to that area. Maybe some of the tribal specialist will add more.

25th July 2006, 04:16 PM	#4
Bill Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chicago area Posts: 327	Great sword. Looked through "from the rainbow's varied hue" for the "tiger stripe" pattern on the textile, but no match. Cato's photo #33 has a kampilan with a large scrolled hilt, not a match, but suggests this sword may have been for a bodyguard of important person. Hard to make out the "sundi" or prongs on the top edge of the blade, from your pic. Does appear to be a variation; but if we trust Cato only shows "Philippine" swords, then it really can't be identified from that, as there are plenty of variations.

25th July 2006, 04:38 PM	#5
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,396	I agree with Charles and Michael that this one is probably N. Borneo. Van Zonneveld shows some examples in his book from N. Borneo as well as the Philippines, and I think this particular hilt style is more consistent with N. Borneo than Mindanao. The suggestion that this one might have been a datu's weapon or "sword of state" has some credibility too. Beautiful and unusual example of a kampilan. Keep them coming Artzi! Unfortunately, this conflict seems it will go for a while longer. I hope you and your family stay safe through this dangerous time, and that there will not be many more casualties on either side before a solution is reached. Ian.