The fourth variety, made at Bagnen, immediately across the Bontoc border, in Lepanto, and probably also made and certainly used near at hand in Bontoc, is quite similar to the Bontoc type but is smaller and cruder.  It is uncolored, and on its front has crude drawings of snakes and frogs (or perhaps men) drawn with soot paint.

Banawi area, south of the Bontoc area. has a shield differing markedly from the others.  It is longer, usually somewhat wider, and not cut at either end.  The lower end is straight across at right angles to the sides; the upper end rises to a very obtuse angle at the middle.  The front is usually much plainer than is that of the other shields mentioned.

Throughout the Bontoc area there is a spear with a bamboo blade, entirely a wooden weapon.  The spear is employed in warfare, and is losing its place only as iron becomes plentiful enough and cheap enough to substitute for the bamboo blades or heads.  Even in sections in which iron spears are relatively common the wooden spear is used much in warfare, since spears thrown at an enemy are frequently lost.

Sharp-pointed bamboo spikes are often stuck in the trails of war parties when they are returning from some foray in which they have been successful.  These spikes are from about 6 inches in length, as among the people of the Bontoc area, to 3 or more feet, as among the Ibilao of southeastern Nueva Vizcaya.  The latter people nightly place these long spikes, called “luk’-dun,” in the trails leading to their dwellings.  They are placed at a considerable angle, and would impale an intruder in the groin or upper thigh, inflicting a cruel and disabling wound.  The shorter spikes either cut through the bottom of the foot or stab the instep or leg near the ankle.  They are much dreaded, and, though crude, are very effective weapons.

Metal weapons

The metal spear blade or head is a product of Igorot workmanship.  Baliwang, situated about six hours north of Bontoc, makes most of the metal spear blades used in the Bontoc area.  Sapao, located about a day and a half to the south, makes excellent metal blades, but they seldom reach the Bontoc culture area, although blades of inferior production from Sapao are found in Ambawan, the southernmost pueblo of the area.

Baliwang has four smithies, in each of which two or three men labor, each man in a smithy performing a separate part of the work.  One operates the bellows, another feeds the fire and does the heavy striking during the initial part of the work, and the other —­ the real blade maker, the artist —­ directs all the labor, and performs the finer and finishing parts of the blade production.