priest’s (shaman’s) ceremonial dagger with rattlers

iron, with engraved Chinese characters on both sides of the blade

length 55.5 cm

Yao people

northern Vietnam

19th century

condition:  typical rusted surface

provenance:  collected in Vietnam by Jack Daulton

Not unlike a Tibetan phurba, these daggers, known as "Kim," "Sui Gim," or "Kim Tsin," are shaken and stabbed during ceremonies to scare off malevolent spirits and thereby to purify or consecrate a ritual/sacred space.  The engraved Chinese characters usually state the owner's name and auspicious wishes.  

For the type, see Jess G. Pourret, The Yao: The Mien and Mun Yao in China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand (Bangkok: River Books, 2002), ill. 572, pg. 208.