Can someone please tell me what style of sword we are looking at here?
Such as Sumerian? Philippine? Middle Eastern? etc..
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1Looks similar in style to a Kris but it lacks the characteristic "horn" guard on the blade at the hilt.– KillingTimeMar 10, 2016 at 22:51
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1It's a fair short sword, but the device between the sword and holster is mightier– Hack-RMar 11, 2016 at 3:07
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"Can you identify this pen? Sword for scale." ;)– SchwernMar 11, 2016 at 19:41
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1 Answer
What you have there appears to be a Moro Kris, or Kalis. It is a type of short sword or long dagger that used to be common in the Muslim (aka: Moro) parts of the southern Philippines.
In the southern Philippines, the kris provided the Muslim armies with their counterpart to the Spanish weaponry. During the Philippine–American War, the death of American soldiers at the hands of kris-wielding Moros and other Filipinos armed with blades led to the creation and use of the Colt M1911. During World War II, the kris were accompanied by other Moro swords such as barongs in the insurgency movement against Japanese occupation.
Now the Kris is actually used in a lot of places in SE Asia. However, that style of scabbard marks it as most likely Philippine:
The Moro kalis scabbard shares many common characteristics with their Malay cousins, but are unique in their own style and form. Scabbards tended to be made of wide grain native hardwoods (e.g. mahogany, teak, narra, etc.), and lashed together with rattan bindings.
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Being Malaysian, it doesn't look anything like a Malayan kris, so it could be Filipino. The given sword does lack a guard (one of the main characteristics of a kris). And the waves a bit small. It could be a much older version or something done with much less craftmanship.– MuzMar 12, 2016 at 6:14
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@Muz - I'm guessing the latter. The one I posted a picture of is the most ornate one I've ever seen. The one from the question looks like one that was mass-produced for relatively poor foot-soldiers.– T.E.D. ♦Mar 12, 2016 at 23:38