Cleveland Museum of Art

Sword (Kalis or Sundang)

Date

before 1916

Medium

Blade: metal; handle: metal with silver wire; pommel: silver

Culture

Philippines, Mindanao

Department

Oceania

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The kalis 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 ( panday ), carvers, and metalsmiths. The undulating blade is thought to embody spiritual potency and the dynamic flow of energy.

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