Traditional Muslim
blades can sit well in any museum showcase
Among the
peoples of the Philippines
the Muslim produced the most varied and most beautifully ornamented metallic
hand weapons. Although they had some weapons in common, different Muslim groups
had a few peculiar to them. Unlike the other peoples in the Philippines who
fell under Spanish domination and were discouraged from producing weapons of
war, the Muslims were free to keep on producing them for their defense as well
as for ceremonial purposes or as insignia of rank and wealth. Metal crafts have
reached a high state of sophistication as the Muslims were exposed to Arab and
Indian influences. A Spanish officer of the 19th century, who
participated in various military expeditions against the Muslims of Sulu and
who had developed a fierce hatred for them, grudgingly commented that some of
the Sulu weapons he saw did “not in any manner compare unfavorably with the
famed blades of Damascus”.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 04 October 2008 )
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