80 BULLETIN 137^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



design; the hard steel has been chiseled away and the softer metal 

 has been pounded into the etched incisions similar to the copper 

 inlay on No. 313911, U.S.N.M.; toward the proximal end the inlay 

 becomes an embossed fluting in low relief. Ornamental designs oc- 

 cur on both the inner and outer sides. The stirrup piece is purely 

 ornamental and no longer serves a useful purpose, as the guard 

 piece has been forged and welded to the blade. The handle is non- 

 descript and has probably been added to the ensemble by another 

 craftsman. This weapon and a similar blade. Cat. No. 248899, 

 U.S.N.M. are the longest blades of the kris type in the Museum 

 collection. 



Length of weapon, 76.4 centimeters (30 inches) ; length of blade, 

 67 centimeters (26.4 inches). Collected by Dr. Robert B. Grubbs, 

 United States Army (PI. 14, No. 2.) Cat. No. 3488, U.S.N.M. 



Serpentine kris, Moro, Mindanao. — The unusual features about 

 this blade lie in the departure from the usual Moro type of weapon. 

 Influence of foreign design is noticeable in ornamental design on 

 handle, in the double curve on the guard, together with its over- 

 hanging flange. The guard is of silver, the edges of which are 

 milled like the edges of a silver coin. A drop flange has engraved 

 on it the initials of the owner or maker. The blade is also unique 

 in that it tapers from the grip to an acute daggerlike point. The 

 carabao horn handle is beautifullj^ carved and embossed to represent 

 an intricate floral pattern; the hilt is ferruled with plain silver 

 bands. 



Length of weapon, 80.6 centimeters (31 inches). (PL 14, No. 4.) 

 Cat. No. 313911, U.S.N.M. 



Chinese and Japanese hlade types. — Throughout the existence of 

 the feudal age in Japan there was continuous fighting between 

 various families and clans, not to mention the wars against the 

 Aino. The profession of the warrior was held in high esteem and 

 " the sword is the soul of the Samurai " was a quotation often em- 

 ployed. Still, from the first, the Japanese seem to have been an 

 artistic people and much store was set on the decorative design on 

 weapons of all types. An old writer, quoted by John Ogilby in 1670, 

 writes that ''they also have javelins tipt w^ith gold or silver and 

 their Pikes, w^hich are longer but lighter than ours, they laiow 

 how to handle dexterously. They also set a strange rate upon 

 sword-hilts, especially when made by some peculiar masters." It 

 can readily be seen from a statement such as this that the later 

 development of the Japanese swords and other weapons was along 

 entirely different lines from that of the Malaj'^sian, and more par- 

 ticularly the Filipino types. The earliest swords of the Japanese 

 were made of copper or bronze. Primitive swords recovered from 

 dolmens and now exhibited in the Imperial Museum of Tokio and 



