Cleveland Museum of Art

Scabbard

Date

1800s

Medium

Wood with rattan

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, probably belonging to the Maranao, Tausug, or Yakan people. 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 graceful, winglike profile of the scabbard’s mouth is typical of work made by the Muslim populations of the southern Philippines.

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