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Source Description
This sword features a long <em>kalis</em> blade with a straight profile and deep fuller running nearly the entire length. The hilt terminates in an enormous ivory pommel, a prestige marker associated with high-ranking ownership in the Sulu and Lake Lanao regions. The commanding blade, functional and symbolic clamps, silver-braided grip, and pommel identify this as an exceptional example of elite Moro weaponry used among the Tausug or Maranao groups in the southern Philippines.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
97096
label
Sword (Kalis or Sundang)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
97096
contentType
object
title
Sword (Kalis or Sundang)
description
This sword features a long <em>kalis</em> blade with a straight profile and deep fuller running nearly the entire length. The hilt terminates in an enormous ivory pommel, a prestige marker associated with high-ranking ownership in the Sulu and Lake Lanao regions. The commanding blade, functional and symbolic clamps, silver-braided grip, and pommel identify this as an exceptional example of elite Moro weaponry used among the Tausug or Maranao groups in the southern Philippines.
date
before 1916
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79481183
genreSpecific
Arms and Armor
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 79.8 cm (31 7/16 in.); Blade: 60.4 x 3.9 cm (23 3/4 x 1 9/16 in.); Handle: 18 x 20 x 7.8 cm (7 1/16 x 7 7/8 x 3 1/16 in.)
cul
Philippines, Mindanao
accession
1916.744
Source extras
tec
Blade: metal; grip: brass ferrule and silver wire; pommel: ivory
tombstone
Sword (Kalis or Sundang), before 1916. Philippines, Mindanao. Blade: metal; grip: brass ferrule and silver wire; pommel: ivory; overall: 79.8 cm (31 7/16 in.); blade: 60.4 x 3.9 cm (23 3/4 x 1 9/16 in.); handle: 18 x 20 x 7.8 cm (7 1/16 x 7 7/8 x 3 1/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1916.744
collection
Oceanic Art
didYouKnow
The <em>asang-asang</em> (fish gill) clamps at the blade’s base stabilize it while referencing the purifying quality attributed to fish gills.
creditline
Gift of J. H. Wade
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:13:56.109000
sourceId
97096
dept
Oceania
coll
Oceanic Art
med
Blade: metal; grip: brass ferrule and silver wire; pommel: ivory
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
6538916201b5f4a2