Head Axe
In the rare 1904 book by Frederic Sawyer, The Inhabitants of the Philippines, an excerpt on the weapons of the indigenous tribes mention the use of the Aligua a light front and back axe as a decapitating weapon.
The French book, Aventures d’un Gentilhomme Breton aux iles Philippines, by Paul De La Gironiere, also refers to the Aligua weapon. An accompanying engraving confirms a visual reference to the magnificent Tinguan front and back spiked head axe:
“Les hommes portaient leurs armes, qui se composent de la hache, qu’ils nomment aligua, de la lance aiguë en bambou, et du bouclier… ”
Online translation:
“The men carried their weapon, which are made up of the ax, that they name aligua, of the high-pitched spear in bamboo, and the buckler…”