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Source Description
The <em>kalis</em> is one of the most recognizable bladed weapons of Muslim Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago and was both a weapon and a symbol of rank and honor. This long, double-edged steel blade features continuous undulations from base to tip. Among the Maranao and Maguindanao people, sword making was a specialized craft requiring collaboration among blacksmiths (<em>panday</em>), carvers, and metalsmiths.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
97108
label
Sword (Kalis or Sundang)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
97108
contentType
object
title
Sword (Kalis or Sundang)
description
The <em>kalis</em> is one of the most recognizable bladed weapons of Muslim Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago and was both a weapon and a symbol of rank and honor. This long, double-edged steel blade features continuous undulations from base to tip. Among the Maranao and Maguindanao people, sword making was a specialized craft requiring collaboration among blacksmiths (<em>panday</em>), carvers, and metalsmiths.
date
before 1916
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79481234
genreSpecific
Arms and Armor
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
66.4 x 12.6 cm (26 1/8 x 4 15/16 in.)
cul
Philippines, Mindanao
accession
1916.75
Source extras
tec
Blade: metal; handle: metal with silver wire; pommel: silver
tombstone
Sword (Kalis or Sundang), before 1916. Philippines, Mindanao. Blade: metal; handle: metal with silver wire; pommel: silver; 66.4 x 12.6 cm (26 1/8 x 4 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1916.750
collection
Oceanic Art
didYouKnow
The undulating blade is thought to embody spiritual potency and the dynamic flow of energy.
creditline
Gift of J. H. Wade
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:13:58.465000
sourceId
97108
dept
Oceania
coll
Oceanic Art
med
Blade: metal; handle: metal with silver wire; pommel: silver
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
2e315f9caf7121dc