Artwork Page for Knife (Mandau) and scabbard

Details / Information for Knife (Mandau) and scabbard

Knife (Mandau) and scabbard

c. 1900

Indonesia, Borneo

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Medium
metal, wood, bone, hair, and braided cloth cord
Measurements
Blade: 47.3 cm (18 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of J. H. Wade 1916.745
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

Borneo is the third largest island in the world.

Description

Both a work of art and a weapon, blades of this type with elaborately carved and plumed hilts were used mainly by the Dyak people of Kalimantan, on the Indonesian Island of Borneo.
A shiny, silver metal, curved-blade knife is displayed alongside a medium-brown wood scabbard mimicking its curve. The blade widens as it curves, the lower edge cut at a diagonal. The handle transitions from wrapped brown string to light-yellow-brown carved with organic shapes and jutting in an angular lower-case "r" shape. Dark-brown hair strands extend from the top. From the scabbard hang braided pink, yellow-orange, and dark-blue ropes, knotted together and ending in fluffy multi-colored balls.

Knife (Mandau) and scabbard

c. 1900

Indonesia, Borneo

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