Nepalese short-sword, kora, made from pattern-welded steel. The heavy blade is of conventional form with an “elephant’s ear” shape at the tip. The hilt has two disc-shaped guards, and the pommel is surmounted by a stepped finial shaped like a stupa. The scabbard is covered with blue velvet. It is unusual to find a pattern welded kora which has been treated to show the pattern so vividly: such treatment is however commonly found on blades from Indonesia and Malaysia, especially kris blades.
For a discussion of pattern welding, see M. Sachse “Damascus Steel. Myth, history, technology, applications� Dusseldorf, 1993.