Spear

According to the spearheads, the spears are divided into lancet-shaped leaves fangkao, falfeg, and as a relatively rare case the fish-headed spear with several rows of barbs, sinalawitan. The kayyan form is also known, which could technically be called a winged lance.

Spear upper:

The spear kayyan has a likewise triangular tip, but wider and larger than the falfeg, it has a central ridge, the cutting edges run largely parallel to each other and meet in an oval place. Towards the shaft, the tip narrows and then widens again to form two curved wings, similar to the way some partisans of the baroque period in Europe did. The head of the spearhead stands on a short neck, which is embedded in the wooden shaft with a thorn shaft. This is also secured with a steel ferrule and / or a rattan wrap (bajuco). The kayyan is used almost exclusively as a ceremonial object in the performance of certain rites, more rarely for hunting and almost never for war or headhunting. Albert Jenks describes the kayyan as follows: “Kay-yan′ is a gracefully formed blade not used in hunting, and employed less in war than is si-na-la-wi′-tan. Though the Igorot has almost nothing in his culture for purely aesthetic purposes, yet he ascribes no purpose for the kay-yan′-he says it looks pretty; but I have seen it carried to war by war parties.

Spears middle and lower:

The spear falfeg has a narrow, triangular, fish-head-shaped tip made of steel with a hinted or even pronounced central ridge. In the middle part of the tip, its cutting edges are parallel to each other, towards the top they bend convexly towards each other and form an oval point or tip. Towards the bottom, the cutting edges are pointed and long, sometimes slightly concave, as barbs. The head of the spearhead sits on a neck, which is embedded in the wooden shaft with a thorn shaft. Also in this type the shaft is secured with a steel ferrule and/or bajucco winding. The stock is quite heavy and top-heavy. It often has a thickening in front of the ferrule. The end of the spear is enclosed by a steel shoe, which is made of a wound piece of sheet steel. The falfeg is almost always carried, it is used as a mountain stick and for fighting, also for hunting. In war, several falfeg are often carried along, which are hurled at an opponent’s shield and, if stuck, make the bearer more immobile or render the shield unusable. Skilled warriors can also use the barbs to tear away the opponent’s shield. The loss of the shield is almost a death sentence. With exactly this technique, used in formation, the Romans – and later the Franks, adopting Roman tactics – were able to rob their enemies (Celts, Germanic tribes, Sarmatians) armed with long swords of their shields on the battlefields, leaving them almost defenceless against the stings of Gladius, which were performed from the cover of the heavy shield. The falfeg looks extraordinarily elegant due to the delicate but very effective spear head.