Balarao
| Balarao | |
|---|---|
Mandaya people (c. 1926); Bottom: A Mandaya balarao in its sheath in the National Museum of Anthropology | |
| Type | Dagger |
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 12 in (30 cm) |
| Width | 4 in (10 cm) |
| Blade type | Double-edged |
| Hilt type | ivory, metal (gold, silver), hardwood, carabao horn |
| Scabbard/sheath | hardwood, carabao horn, metal (gold, silver) |
Balarao (also spelled balaraw, bararao, and bararaw), also known as "winged dagger", is a
tang also protrudes at the back. The dagger is a status symbol among nobility and warriors and is usually finely-worked with precious metals, ivory, and horn.[1][2][3]
The dagger was described as early as the 1600s by
Mandaya people, where it is known as the bayadau or badao (a name also used for gunong daggers).[1][2][3]
The dagger, as bararao, has also been described as being used by the Sambal people for headhunting in the Boxer Codex (ca. 1590s).[4]
Gallery
-
Detail from the Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas (1734), showing a "Bisaya" with a balarao in the right
See also
- Punyal
References
- ^ a b "Mandaya Winged Dagger". National Museum of the Philippines. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
- ^ a b Lawrence, Marc (2009). "Filipino Weapons from A to Z" (PDF). Filipino Martial Arts Digest. Stephen K. Dowd. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-08-24. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
- ^ ISBN 9781429091398.
- ISBN 9789004301542.