Piso Halasan
| Piso Halasan | |
|---|---|
 An illustration of a Piso Halasan | |
| Type | Sword |
| Place of origin | North Sumatra (North Tapanuli Regency), Indonesia |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Batak people |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 65–100 cm |
| Blade type | Single edge |
| Hilt type | Deer horn, antelope horn, ivory |
| Scabbard/sheath | Wood |
A Piso Halasan (also known as an Eccat, Ekkat, Engkat, or Piso Eccat) is a traditional sword of the Batak people from North Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia.
Description
A Piso Halasan is typically a sword with a hilt made of deer horn or antelope horn, although horn-shaped hilts of cast metal are also found. The blade is made of a mixture of several kinds of metal and is used as a deadly weapon in battles.[1] It has a straight back and a narrow point. Its broadest part is near the point, and there is a notch near the hilt. The scabbard is broader at the top and usually terminates at the bottom in a narrow curved point, partly or totally covered with metal.[2] The sword may be adorned with engravings and forged with metals that include poisons.[citation needed]
Cultural
Poison was often applied to the edge of the blade when it was used for battle.[3] Only rajas and other dignitaries possessed a Piso Halasan with an ivory hilt, known as a Piso Gading.[4]
References
- ^ Jamaludin S. Hasibuan (1982). Primitive Art of the Ancient Batak in Sumatra, Volume 1. Yayasan K.J. Mahoni. ASIN B0006ECEMW.
- ^ Albert G Van Zonneveld (2002). Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago. Koninklyk Instituut Voor Taal Land. ASIN 9054500042. ISBN 90-5450-004-2.
{{cite book}}: Check|asin=value (help) - ^ Bisuk Siahaan (2005). Batak Toba: Kehidupan Di Balik Tembok Bambu. Kempala Foundation. ISBN 979-99530-0-6.
- ^ Jamaludin S. Hasibuan (1986). Batak Art And Culture. J. Hasibuan. ASIN B0000CQNRS.
Further reading
- George Cameron Stone; Donald J. LaRocca (1999). A Glossary of The Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: In All Countries and In All Times. Courier Dover Publications. ISBN 978-0-486-40726-5.
- Hasibuan, Jamaludin S.; William M. Gaugler (1982). Primitive Art of the Ancient Batak in Sumatra: Volume 1. Yayasan K.J. Mahoni. ASIN B0006ECEMW.
- Evangelista, Nick; William M. Gaugler (1995). The Encyclopedia of The Sword. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-27896-9.
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