Description:

ORIGINALLY OFFERED AT $500

Southeast Asia, Cambodia, Khmer Empire, ca. 1100 CE. This is a short form of Khmer sword, known as a p'keak or phka’k, which is a curved handled weapon with an iron blade. They may have been used for clearing the dense forests of northern Cambodia as well as for fighting. This particular sword has a beautiful bronze handle with a simple two-dimensional cloud-shaped guard. This example particularly has a beautiful patina on the handle and the blade is in excellent condition for iron of its age and preservation. From the Angkor period onward (after 800 CE), it seems likely that southeast Asia underwent a great deal of conflict; inscriptions, reliefs, weapons deposited as grave goods, and, most recently, bioarchaeology all attest to a history of fighting and war. This sword is almost certainly related to that history. For example, excavations at the cemetery at Phum Snay have uncovered a wide range of weapons in many graves; while most were male, some belonged to females. Unfortunately, we currently have only fragmentary evidence for warfare and sword manufacture in the Khmer Empire because of the ravages of the Khmer Rouge on records of Cambodia’s history. Size: 22" L x 2" W (55.9 cm x 5.1 cm).

Provenance: Ex- J. Piscopo collection, San Diego, CA

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#111118

  • Condition: Blade is intact and the shape is clear; handle has a beautiful, smooth bronze patina.

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September 27, 2016 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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