What kind of knife is this?

Where is it from?

Who made it? What was it used for?

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Answers:

What kind of knife is this? Where is it from?

This artifact, called a sibat, is a traditional weapon from the Philippines, an archipelago nation in Southeast Asia. It was donated to the Karshner Museum in 1934. It has been crafted from metal, and can be used as the head of a spear, or it can be detached and thrown. Also pictured is its case, which was woven from rattan, a vine that grows throughout Asia and Africa.

Who made it? What was it used for?

It was made by the Kalinga people, who live on the northern Philippine island of Luzon. The barbed shape of the edges is one of many designs for throwing spears. The style of the spearhead generally changes with the intended function of the spear. The more ornate style of this one seems to suggest that it was made for show, perhaps as a gift or souvenir.