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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
This sword’s blade is straight near the tip and transitions into gentle undulations toward the lower half. The guard consists of pierced okir wings, secured on one side by a single asang-asang clamp (also called baca-baca by the Maranao). The hilt is wrapped in dark fiber or rattan bindings and metal ferrules, and fitted with a small, comparatively modest cockatoo ( kakatua ) form.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineSword (Kalis or Sundang), before 1918. Philippines, Mindanao. Blade: metal; handle: metal with silver and braided twine; pommel: ivory; overall: 61 cm (24 in.); blade: 49 cm (19 5/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1918.649
