PRIMITIVE WEAPONS AND ARMOR OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 85 



grip and is carved to represent a hand emerging from the handle 

 grip which is filleted at the base with a design representing the 

 sleeve of a garment. In the hand carving is held a heart-shaped 

 object. At the tip of pommel is a button or cap of silver, threaded 

 onto the end of the tang which extends entirely through the handle. 

 At the central inner section of the blade and extending along t]ie 

 median ridge is an etched ornamental batik arabesque design, while 

 on the outer surface is the Katipunan emblem representing the rising 

 sun etched within a triangular shield together with two superimposed 

 ilags and the inscription " Veneer-morir." The scabbard is made of 

 silver and has on its inner surface a similar Katipunan design. The 

 weapon is modern and is introduced here to illustrate the influence 

 of Spanish metallurgy and ornamental design. 



Length of dagger blade, 34.5 centimeters (13.6 inches) ; length 

 of handle, 14.3 centimeters (5.6 inches). Collected by Mrs. H. C. 

 Corbin. (PL 13, No. 13.) Cat. No. 258300, U.S.N.M. 



Punal de ki^is^ Moro^ 3Iindfmao.— The blade is concavo-conxex or 

 dirk shaped, chased on both inner and outer sides on the sections 

 near the handle extending from the broad back one-half the distance 

 toward the sharpened cutting anterior edge. The posterior lateral 

 edge becomes thinner, but is not sharpened along distal section of 

 blade; the handle is formed of wood and is plain; a heavy ferrule 

 of cast brass is banded about the neck end of handle and expands 

 into the diamond-shaped brass guard. 



Length of weapon, 23 centimeters (9 inches) ; length of blade, 

 .14.5 centimeters (5.7 inches). Collected by Dr. Robert B. Grubbs, 

 United States Army. (PI. 13, No. 9.) Cat. No. 3499, U.S.N.M. 



Wojjian^s knife, Bagoho, Mindanao. — This steel blade has a cir- 

 cular cutting edge convexly rounded so as to inscribe one-half of an 

 -ellipse. The back of the blade is thick and straight except for the 

 sector at the proximal end, which has been cut away in the form of 

 an irregular hollow curve. The metal tang is haftecl in a brass-shod 

 liandle convexly curved posteriorly and concave on the under or 

 anterior cutting edge. The base is truncated in a double-ogee curve, 

 giving the effect of a snake-head carving similar to the carved 

 pommel on the Moro daggers of wood, ivory, and metal. A hole 

 pierced through the brass at the beak or lower anterior corner of the 

 handle represents an eye and increases the realism of the figurine 

 design. This punched or incised hole appears in identical position 

 on the Moro figurine dagger handles formed from other materials. 

 A peculiarity in the operation of the knife is that the blow or steady 

 pressure must always be exerted upward and not downward, as in 

 the heavier Malay knives or bolos. The sheath is composed of an 

 inner core of wood, covered with a basketry case of woven rattan. 

 This is in turn covered with a cotton cloth and a black cement paste. 



