PRIMITIVE WEAPONS AND ARMOR OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 79 



Kiis^ Moro, Mindanao. — This steel blade is one of tlie oldest in 

 the Museum. Lateral edii:es are almost straight, although the blade 

 is somewhat curved in outline. Tip of point is nearly oval and' 

 the blade is oval in section throughout. The guard consists of a 

 short anterior projection and of a much longer and thinner posterior 

 segment. The guard is provided with ornamental scrolled etchings 

 along the anterior section. A single brass stirrup secures the 

 anterior ornamental section of the guard and fastens it more securely 

 to the blade, to which it is joined by welding. The blade is joined 

 to the hardwood handle by a metal tang which is inserted into the 

 grip section. Grip is ferruled with a band of polished brass and 

 is wrapped with waxed cord. The pommel is shaped from polished 

 hardwood and constitutes an extension of the grip section. It is 

 fashioned in the form of an ogee or sigmoid curve. 



Length of weapon, 65 centimeters (25.6 inches) ; length of blade, 

 51 centimeters (20 inches). Collected by the United States exploring 

 expedition under Admiral AVilkes, 1838-1842. Cat. No. 3994, 

 U.S.N.M. 



Kris, Mora, eastern Mindanao. — The steel blade has six wavy 

 crests on the anterior and posterior lateral edges; the point and 

 distal end sections are slightly curved toward the anterior cutting^ 

 edge. One stirrup suffices to fix the guard firmly in position ; it 

 extends from the chiseled ornamentation on the anterior cutting edge 

 of the blade just below the guard to the top of the ornamental 

 guard piece, where it terminates in a spike which extends upward 

 the entire length of the handle, where it is fixed by a rivet inserted 

 first through the spike and then through the pommel, which is a 

 slightly bulbous extension of the grip. Like ail krisses without excep- 

 tion, the handle curves downward and anteriorly. The grip which 

 is fitted to the hand is wrapped in simple roll with waxed cord 

 which passes also over the stirrup spike, lending additional firmness. 

 The posterior extension of the guard is much longer than the ante- 

 rior section, but is firmly welded to the blade and no stirrup is 

 necessary. Like the anterior section, it is carved with chiseled 

 ornamentations in the from of an ogee S-shape curve at its lateral 

 edge. This ornamentation may serve as a sword breaker; it is highly 

 conventionalized in design and occurs in most of the guard orna- 

 mentations on Malay krisses. 



Length of blade, 60 centimeters (23.6 inches) ; width of blade, 4.5 

 centimeters (1.8 inches) ; sectional width at median ridge, 0.6 centi- 

 meters. Collected by Max List. Cat. No. 326599, U.S.N.M. 



Inlaid serpentine kris. — The blade is of recent manufacture, as 

 indicated by the welded guard and the stirru]). Throughout the 

 central sector of the blade and following the line of the median 

 ridge is an inlay of a soft silver metal patterned in arabesque floral 



