Cleveland Museum of Art

Scabbard

Date

1800s

Medium

Wood with rattan strips

Culture

Philippines, Mindanao

Department

Oceania

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The flared form of this wooden scabbard indicates that it was made to house a barong blade that would have belonged to members of a Muslim group in the southern Philippines, the Maranau, Tausug, or Yakan. The upper section features incised scroll-like motifs, similar to the stylized floriate designs common in southern Philippine okir carving traditions. Several bands of rattan lashings reinforce the sheath, adding both structural stability and decorative rhythm. The scrolling motifs traveled with Islamic people by way of maritime trade.

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