Combative forms of movement meet all the criteria required to be called “arts”. Additionally, items associated with martial art theory and practice can be shown in a variety media and appreciated as objets d’art in their own right. This anthology presents the aesthetic side of the martial arts as they are found in numerous examples of material culture and items of fine art.An often neglected but incredibly rich area for seeing martial themes represented in art are museum collections...

There has been a lack of reliable academic studies regarding Filipino martial arts that have uniquely developed in the Philippine archipelago. This anthology assembles pioneering scholarly materials valuable for any interested in the Filipino combatives, as well as chapters specifically on the practice.