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Sword (Barong)

before 1916 · Blade: metal inlaid with brass; handle: metal with silver foil, braided wire, and repoussé work; pommel: kamagong hardwood with bone inlay

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

This sword’s hilt is carved from a dense Philippine hardwood known as kamagong and takes the form of a stylized cockatoo ( kakatua ), a motif characteristic of Tausug and Yakan sword hilts. Its broad, leaf-shaped steel blade is single-edged at the base and double-edged near the tip, making it ideal for thrusting in both warfare and ceremony.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description

Credit lineSword (Barong), before 1916. Philippines, Sulu or Basilan. Blade: metal inlaid with brass; handle: metal with silver foil, braided wire, and repoussé work; pommel: kamagong hardwood with bone inlay; overall: 68.3 cm (26 7/8 in.); blade: 45.5 cm (17 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1916.730

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