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Sword (Kalis or Sundang)
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The kalis is one of the most recognizable bladed weapons of Muslim Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago and was both a weapon and a symbol of rank and honor. This long, double-edged steel blade features continuous undulations from base to tip. Among the Maranao and Maguindanao people, sword making was a specialized craft requiring collaboration among blacksmiths ( panday ), carvers, and metalsmiths.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineSword (Kalis or Sundang), before 1916. Philippines, Mindanao. Blade: metal; handle: metal with silver wire; pommel: silver; 66.4 x 12.6 cm (26 1/8 x 4 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1916.750
