1912.31.6.2

Collection type

Object

Description

Wooden sheath [.2], curved and with carved decoration and bound with iron bands. For Murut sabre [1912.31.6 .1] [SM 18/05/2007]

Long description

Wooden sheath [.2], curved and with carved decoration and bound with iron bands. For Murut sabre [1912.31.6 .1] The sheath is made from a light brown coloured hard wood. It is carved on the front in three places with decoration. It is bound with five bands of iron with the ends folded over each other on the back to secure them. A smaller hide sheath is black animal hair is attached to the back of the sheath. Originally it appears to have been bound on with cane, but it is now attached with only string. This smaller sheath has tassels of plaited hair. The ends of the plaits are secured with folded over bits of ?metal. The top of the main sheath is also bound with black coloured cane, which secures a piece of red textile to the top of one side of the sheath. It also has a plaited plant fibre carrying loop. The front of the sheath has been painted a red/brown colour. [SM 18/05/2007]

Geographical reference

Malaysia

Asia > South-eastern Asia > Malaysia

Sarawak

Cultural groups

Murut

Person

Field collector Robert Walter Campbell Shelford

PRM source Robert Walter Campbell Shelford

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1912

Date collected

By 1912

Acquisition information

Loaned: 11/1901 Bequeathed: 07/1912

Materials and processes

Material Wood Plant, Material Iron Metal, Material Animal Hide Skin, Material Animal Hair, Material Textile, Material Plant Fibre, Material Cane Plant, Process Carved, Process Bound, Process Plaited, Process Painted, Process Decorated

Dimensions

Width: max 50 mm, Length: max 660 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1912.31.6.2

Research and responses

Ref. R. Shelford 1901 'A provisional classification of the swords of the Sarawak tribes' JAI. [LM 14/2/2007]

Search terms: Weapon, Sheath, Sword