The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 20, 2025

Barong, a single-edged, leaf-shaped sword, with a striated, splotchy silver metal blade. A cylindrical bronze handle extends up, capped with an dark-brown piece, curving to the side with a narrow strip extending across the top in an arcing diagonal line, the upper right side with an organic-shaped serrated lower edge. Around the piece's body runs a pattern of alternating yellow diamonds, and yellow dot outlined diamonds, a yellow band running below.

Sword (Barong)

Before 1918

Philippines

Blade: metal; grip: silver; handle: wood with ivory inlay
Overall: 59.8 cm (23 9/16 in.); Blade: 38.1 cm (15 in.)
Gift of J. H. Wade 1918.644
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

This object’s ivory inlay is unusual—bone or mother of pearl were more common.

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 hilt, carved from kamagong hardwood, terminates in an elongated ivory cockatoo (kakatua) pommel. Decorative ivory inlay is embedded into the kamagong surface, forming geometric and dotted patterns that follow the natural curves of the hilt.
  • ?–1918
    (C.S. Hill, New York, NY, sold to Jeptha Homer Wade II)
    1918
    Mr. Jeptha Homer Wade II [1857–1926], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1918–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Sword (Barong)|url=false|author=|year=Before 1918|access-date=20 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1918.644