Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

A. G. Maisey · 25th October 2006, 05:09 AM

Ariel, they can be exquisitely beautiful.

Many people in Jawa regard the keris as the highest expression of the Javanese plastic arts. Regretably what people in western countries normally see, and come to think of as keris, are poor, sad shadows or imitations of what a keris can be. I can think of few more beautiful physical objects than a royal Balinese keris with gem studded golden handle and ivory wrongko with golden pendok, or its class equivalent in a Surakarta style keris.Even the more humble pieces can radiate a charm that is seldom matched by other forms of weaponry.If you keep looking at keris, and become a little closer to them, you have some delights in store for you.

25th October 2006, 05:09 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	Ariel, they can be exquisitely beautiful. Many people in Jawa regard the keris as the highest expression of the Javanese plastic arts. Regretably what people in western countries normally see, and come to think of as keris, are poor, sad shadows or imitations of what a keris can be. I can think of few more beautiful physical objects than a royal Balinese keris with gem studded golden handle and ivory wrongko with golden pendok, or its class equivalent in a Surakarta style keris.Even the more humble pieces can radiate a charm that is seldom matched by other forms of weaponry.If you keep looking at keris, and become a little closer to them, you have some delights in store for you.