Arkivism
Scabbard
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Scabbard

1800s · Wood with rattan strips

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

About this work

The flared form of this wooden scabbard indicates that it was made to house a barong blade that would have belonged to members of a Muslim group in the southern Philippines, the Maranau, Tausug, or Yakan. The upper section features incised scroll-like motifs, similar to the stylized floriate designs common in southern Philippine okir carving traditions. Several bands of rattan lashings reinforce the sheath, adding both structural stability and decorative rhythm.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineScabbard, 1800s. Philippines, Mindanao. Wood with rattan strips; overall: 44.8 cm (17 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1916.768

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