Sword (Sanduko bolo)
Text
This sanduko bolo was obtained in Luzon but is typical for the island Panay. It features an elaborately carved and silver coated pommel, representing a demonic head - probably a naga or the mythical creature bakunawa. The blade has its center of gravity towards the tip, thus enabling to gain momentum for hacking and chopping cuts. (Oliver Moiseanu 2009: 63)
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Metadata
Identifier
MVW 3719
Origin
Luzon or Panay
Materials
Iron, silver, wood, horn, and leather
Physical Dimensions
L80 cm
Provenance
Novara; before 1859 <br /><br />The Austrian navy carried out its first major scientific mission with the frigate "Novara," circumnavigating the globe within two years and three months (between April 30, 1857, and August 30, 1859). The crew returned with collections of botanical, geological, zoological, and cultural materials. This sanduko bolo was obtained in Luzon but is typical for the island Panay. It is among the few ethnological objects the "Novara" team collected in the Philippine Archipelago.
Acquisition Date
before 1859
Display status
Not on display
References
The Philippines: Museum of Ethnology, Vienna : Early Collections. Vienna: Museum für Volkerkünde, 2009. Print.
Official Website
Collection
Source
Translated from German by Google Translate Record accessed March 2021
Cite this Page
“Sword (Sanduko bolo),” Mapping Philippine Material Culture, accessed April 23, 2024, https://philippinestudies.uk/mapping/items/show/6058.
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