CC0 · no rights reserved
Scabbard
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, probably belonging to the Maranao, Tausug, or Yakan people. 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 descriptionCredit lineScabbard, 1800s. Philippines, Mindanao. Wood with rattan; overall: 46.7 cm (18 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1916.769