Mystery Dagger???

colin henshaw · 4th July 2016, 06:41 PM

Probably a red herring, but the carved head is a bit like Inuit work and the twine binding is the sort of thing a sailor might do. Maybe a hunter/trapper's weapon, or a whaler's ??

kahnjar1 · 4th July 2016, 08:29 PM

I have absolutely no idea about this , but from the pics it LOOKS as if the guy is wearing a peaked cap, but without a side view it is hard to tell.......
Stu

ariel · 5th July 2016, 04:56 AM

I have the same impression. Weren't there similar handles from Luzon?

DaveA · 5th July 2016, 08:51 PM

The figure on the hilt resembles carvings of "Bulul", the rice God of the Ifugao tribe on Luzon. These sometimes ornament Ifugao daggers. I have not seen this particular hilt style used by Ifugao, with the wrapping.

Maybe this is a lead for you. Good luck, and please post any new information you find!

Dave A

David · 5th July 2016, 11:19 PM

So i hear a few votes for Luzon, at least on the hilt. Can anyone point to a Luzon spear head of similar form? I'm just trying to pin this down to a particular region for my friend.
The wrapping could have been added at anytime and certainly seems like the youngest addition to the ensemble.

Ian · 8th July 2016, 06:34 AM

While the Bulul (northern Luzon) suggestion is an interesting one, the head of the figure is less well defined than the vast majority of examples i have seen, especially in regard to the ears (which appear absent on the figure of the dagger in question). Bulul is often portrayed with very prominent ears (but not always).

Neither the grip nor the blade are obviously Ifugao work, so I'm skeptical of this origin. That said, I don't have a better suggestion.

Ian.

Sajen · 8th July 2016, 07:21 PM

Hello David,

when I first have seen this unusual dagger was my impression similar to DaveA ones but again similar considerations like Ian seems to have I don't post my impression. Another resemblance I see also with Ano Deo figures from Timor, but again, something bothers me. I am unsure but could be indeed coming from SEA.

Regards,
Detlef

Ian · 12th July 2016, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

I have absolutely no idea about this , but from the pics it LOOKS as if the guy is wearing a peaked cap, but without a side view it is hard to tell.......
Stu

Stu:

That is a very astute observation and I think you are correct. This rang a bell for me. I now think that the hilt is indeed northern Luzon in origin -- not Ifugao, but rather Ilocano. There is a style of Ilocano knife featuring a Filipino with a peaked cap, presumably military. Such pommels can be found in brass, horn, or wood--the horn ones often have small white inserts for the eyes. There should be pictures on this site. I have several examples but they are all packed as a result of a recent move across country.

Some Ilocano knives are double edged daggers, but I agree that this one looks as though it could have started life as a spear. The wrapped hilt does look recent to me also.

Jose, do you have a picture of one of these Ilocano hilts that you could post?

Ian.

P.S. In a previous post, these caps were thought to be nautical in origin. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=418

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 13th July 2016, 06:26 AM

Please Note~ ... the kinnallogong or hat dance (Ilocano)

5th July 2016, 08:51 PM	#4
DaveA Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 424	Bulul figure? The figure on the hilt resembles carvings of "Bulul", the rice God of the Ifugao tribe on Luzon. These sometimes ornament Ifugao daggers. I have not seen this particular hilt style used by Ifugao, with the wrapping. Maybe this is a lead for you. Good luck, and please post any new information you find! Dave A

4th July 2016, 06:41 PM	#1
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,429	Probably a red herring, but the carved head is a bit like Inuit work and the twine binding is the sort of thing a sailor might do. Maybe a hunter/trapper's weapon, or a whaler's ??

4th July 2016, 08:29 PM	#2
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,809	I have absolutely no idea about this , but from the pics it LOOKS as if the guy is wearing a peaked cap, but without a side view it is hard to tell....... Stu

5th July 2016, 04:56 AM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I have the same impression. Weren't there similar handles from Luzon?

5th July 2016, 11:19 PM	#5
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,237	So i hear a few votes for Luzon, at least on the hilt. Can anyone point to a Luzon spear head of similar form? I'm just trying to pin this down to a particular region for my friend. The wrapping could have been added at anytime and certainly seems like the youngest addition to the ensemble.

8th July 2016, 06:34 AM	#6
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,470	While the Bulul (northern Luzon) suggestion is an interesting one, the head of the figure is less well defined than the vast majority of examples i have seen, especially in regard to the ears (which appear absent on the figure of the dagger in question). Bulul is often portrayed with very prominent ears (but not always). Neither the grip nor the blade are obviously Ifugao work, so I'm skeptical of this origin. That said, I don't have a better suggestion. Ian.

8th July 2016, 07:21 PM	#7
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,330	Hello David, when I first have seen this unusual dagger was my impression similar to DaveA ones but again similar considerations like Ian seems to have I don't post my impression. Another resemblance I see also with Ano Deo figures from Timor, but again, something bothers me. I am unsure but could be indeed coming from SEA. Regards, Detlef

13th July 2016, 06:26 AM	#9
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Please Note~ ... the kinnallogong or hat dance (Ilocano)