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Sword (Kalis or Sundang) and scabbard
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
This sword has a straight kalis blade with squared shoulders, a long central fuller, and an engraved chevron-and-scroll pattern above the guard. The wing guards at the base of the blade are held in place by two asang-asang (fish gill) clamps. The hilt terminates with a silver cockatoo ( kakatua )-shaped pommel. Silver pommels of this type are associated with elite datu owners.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineSword (Kalis or Sundang) and scabbard, before 1916. Philippines, Mindanao. Blade: metal with brass inlay; grip: cord; pommel: silver; overall: 71.3 x 11.1 x 3.2 cm (28 1/16 x 4 3/8 x 1 1/4 in.); scabbard: 56.1 x 5.1 x 1.8 cm (22 1/16 x 2 x 11/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1916.751
