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Source Description
This sword has a broad, leaf-shaped blade characteristic of the Sulu Archipelago. Its profile suggests it was used for powerful cut-and-slash fighting. The ivory pommel, inlaid with black hardwood, takes the form of a stylized cockatoo (<em>kakatua</em>). This feature, along with the finely worked horn grip, indicates that this was a prestige weapon owned by a member of the warrior nobility.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
97112
label
Sword (Barong)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
97112
contentType
object
title
Sword (Barong)
description
This sword has a broad, leaf-shaped blade characteristic of the Sulu Archipelago. Its profile suggests it was used for powerful cut-and-slash fighting. The ivory pommel, inlaid with black hardwood, takes the form of a stylized cockatoo (<em>kakatua</em>). This feature, along with the finely worked horn grip, indicates that this was a prestige weapon owned by a member of the warrior nobility.
date
c. 1800s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79481245
genreSpecific
Arms and Armor
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 64.2 cm (25 1/4 in.); Blade: 42 cm (16 9/16 in.)
cul
Philippines
accession
1916.754
Source extras
tec
Blade: steel; handle: silver with braided wire; pommel: ivory with carabao horn inlay
tombstone
Sword (Barong), c. 1800s. Philippines. Blade: steel; handle: silver with braided wire; pommel: ivory with carabao horn inlay; overall: 64.2 cm (25 1/4 in.); blade: 42 cm (16 9/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1916.754
collection
Oceanic Art
didYouKnow
The grip is made of carabao horn, a draft animal similar to the water buffalo.
creditline
Gift of J. H. Wade
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:14:00.015000
sourceId
97112
dept
Oceania
coll
Oceanic Art
med
Blade: steel; handle: silver with braided wire; pommel: ivory with carabao horn inlay
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
63b8f0090f932689