Thank you for your insight as well
I'm a bit surprised you guys seem to think it's a genuine antique artifact, I wouldn't have suspected that. I thought it may have somehow found its way to Europe after WW2... I always thought it might have been made during WW2, but then AI told me some weird things about this keris, so I figured I would ask real experts instead. Thank you guys for helping me learn more
There seem to be dozens of varieties in possible keris patterns (pamor I think? I am new to the lingo as well, I will try to learn!)... can your practiced eyes tell anything about that from the pictures?
Also... sorry for my late replies, as a newbie they have to be cleared yet (perfectly understandable, just explaining why my replies take ages to appear
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David
Hi Jay. Welcome to the forum. It is a shame that the gonjo is missing from this keris, but it is still a nice and authentic naga keris. Just to be clear, what i believe Alan was getting at when he stated that he could not give a good opinion of age based solely on the photographs is that this is a form that, when made correctly, has maintained a very exacting form since it's introduction into the keris world sometime +/- 1700. I would not think youyr particular example to be as old as 1700s, but it would probably be safe to say it is at least antique (100+ yrs. old).
To understand this keris better you may want to acquaint yourself with the symbolism and significance of the naga/nogo within Javanese society of the period. Naga is often translated as "dragon", but it is more serpent-like than a dragon. Though i generally hate AI overviews, i will present one just to give you an introduction into what can be a very complicated and dense study.
"In Javanese society, the Naga (serpent) is a potent, syncretic symbol representing a combination of ancient animism, Hindu-Buddhist cosmology, and, later, Javanese royal identity. As a "crowned giant magical serpent" (sometimes winged), the Naga acts as a guardian of treasures, a symbol of fertility and water, and a stabilizer of the world."
Like many Naga Sasra blades, yours is decorated with gold embellishments, something known as "kinatah". These embellishments can sometimes be vegetal and at times zoomorphic, presenting animals such as deer, elephants water buffalo and mythical creatures. Traditionally it can be used to denote status or rank or added to a keris as a reward for service to the keraton and the Sultan.
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