The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 26, 2025

Rectangular, dark-brown scabbard containing a kris, a sword with an asymmetrical, triangular base, the black speckled, silver metal extending over the scabbard's edge. The blade's triangular base cuts off into jagged edges on one side while the other is smooth on one side and serrated on the other. A dark-brown, cylindrical hilt fastens to the blade, topped by a yellow-brown darkening to dark-brown claw-like arch. Zig-zagging, medium-brown string wraps around the scabbard's lower half.

Sword (Kalis or Sundang)

before 1918

Philippines

Blade: metal; handle: metal with silver and braided twine; pommel: ivory
Overall: 61 cm (24 in.); Blade: 49 cm (19 5/16 in.)
Gift of J. H. Wade 1918.649
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

The asang-asang—literally “fish gill”—stabilizes the blade while referencing the purifying quality attributed to fish gills.

Description

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.
  • ?–1918
    C.S. Hill, New York, NY, sold to Jeptha Homer Wade II
    1918
    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 (Kalis or Sundang)|url=false|author=|year=before 1918|access-date=26 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1918.649