Tausug Moro Bankung sword

Region: Tausug (Moro people) , Southern Philippines
Period: 19th century
Materials: Silver, Steel, Iron, Brass, Fabric, Wood
Status: Sold

Description

A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th centuryThe ‘bankung’ is a sword found among the Moro people of Southern-Philippines and the Sulu Archipelago. A weapon made for slashing with its balance near the center of the blade, making it suitable for slashing an opponent or its shield. The ‘bankung’ is a rather scarce type of sword which is attributed to the Moro people, but quite lesser known than the ‘kampilan’ or ‘barong’. The blade is single edged and has a convex spine which tapers towards the tip. ‘Bankung’ are often found in the regions of the Sulu archipelago, but this example with the fine carved wooden hilt seems to be from Tausug people, a muslim Moro minority which lives in North- Kalimantan, Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan.
A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century
This example:
A very fine example in its kind due to the high quality forging techniques on the blade and the magnificent wooden hilt with a fine and complicated braided brass decoration and silver ferrule. The wooden hilt is carved in typical Moro style and shows a center of floral motifs and steep angle to provide handling during battle. The blade shows a fine forging pattern with a hardened center running from forte to the tip and a harder, embedded cutting edge which clearly stand out of the rest of the blade.
A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century
Condition: Excellent condition, no scabbard.
Dimensions:
Hilt length: 14cm
Blade length: 56.4cm
Blade spine thickness: 7mm
Total length: 70cm
Point of balance: 22.5cm from the hilt.
Weight: 644gr.

Comparable examples:

Provenance: A United States collection.
A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th centuryA rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century A rare Bankung sword with braided brass hilt, Moro People - Southern Philippines, 19th century

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