Early knives from the Katipunan revolution of 1898-1902 in The Philippines are sometimes marked with symbols that indicate the bearer’s rank. The marks sometimes have a mystical symbolic meaning in addition to, or apart from the rank. Various configurations of the symbols are a subject of academic debate.
The iconography includes the following:
- Triangle
- Sun face
- Orb (found on end of hilt)
- Three stars
- Arrangement of symbols in various tripartite themes.
Katipunin “Rebel” Marks
image courtesy of R. Coleman