View Single Post
Old 28th September 2010, 02:54 AM   #1
baatar108
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: New Mexico-Santa Fe
Posts: 9
Default musings in Bali/Lombok kris

regards ,selamat kris! -from a new member. I've collected kris for some 30 years or so.Bali/Lombok kris are probably some of the most flamboyant of any in Indonesia, and are still my favorites. Pamors as well as dress can be wonderfully splashy and use lots of treasure stuff-gold,ivory etc. One thing that has always perplexed me is that the quality of gemstones in kris decor is usually very indifferent. I wonder if this is directly related to Hindu astrological consideration- in lots of Indian jewelry with gem components, merely having the gem is what counts. You can see lots of royal and princely jewelry in collections where the metalsmithing ( and the amount of,usually,gold) is fantastic but the actual stones are not great.
I had a great kris years back with a twisted pamor- yeeks, can't remember the name- as well as a many-luk blade. It was done up in very grand style. I do remember the pamor was for chasing rats out of your paddy fields- ablutions of tirtha from a Brahmin were used to wash the blade and the water poured into ricefields.
I'd love to swap tales of actual or retold supernatural experiences. Standing kris are just the start of it,when you get Indonesians going , the kris lore is eerie and often hair-raising.
baatar108 is offline   Reply With Quote