Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - How many Kris's are made of Indian steel?

Boedhi Adhitya · 26th January 2008, 03:27 AM

Hi all,

Last year in Museum National Jakarta, fragments of crucible found in archeological excavation were exhibited. Some of them labeled 'iron crucible', (others are gold and copper crucibles) dated to 14 c. / Majapahit Kingdom. I don't know whether this label was 'haphazardly' made, or there was really examination on the remaining slag in it. However, it proofs that Javanese were able to make crucibles and hence there was a possibility that Javanese smith was making their own crucible/wootz steel. I don't have any clue regarding other methods such as blister steel or carbon migration, but it is worth to bear in mind that trading with Chinese has long been established, and chinese also migrated to Java. It is very possible that there were a capable blacksmith/iron worker among them. Japanese, from materials I've read, also learnt their art/skills from Chinese and then improved it.

Java itsef should be considered as 'net importer' of iron, but in some area in archipelago, iron ore, and thus iron smelting centers certainly existed. Luwu, for example, has been trading iron at least since 14 c. Other areas were Ternate and Palembang (Bangka-Belitung). Unfortunately, I haven't read anything about the kind of iron were produced (wrought iron or steel), but to be in the safe side, we better assume it was wrought iron. Needless to say, there was no notes regarding the production amount and it was sure that the archipelago's iron production wasn't sufficient to fulfill it's own needs.

Faced with irons which originated from different areas, Javanese blacksmith must be aware of the different qualities/characteristics of each iron, based on its origin, which certainly connected to the impurities in the ores and the method used to smelt it. Thus, they might mix some iron from different sources, to enhances it's quality. This practice makes an attempt to determine irons origin which compose a product (such as keris) based on it's impurity becomes very hard.

If I'm not mistaken, Dutch also brought European's iron to achipelago for trading. In 17th C., Europeans have already used the blast furnaces and puddling to refine the pig iron, haven't they ?

26th January 2008, 03:27 AM	#7
Boedhi Adhitya Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 103	Hi all, Last year in Museum National Jakarta, fragments of crucible found in archeological excavation were exhibited. Some of them labeled 'iron crucible', (others are gold and copper crucibles) dated to 14 c. / Majapahit Kingdom. I don't know whether this label was 'haphazardly' made, or there was really examination on the remaining slag in it. However, it proofs that Javanese were able to make crucibles and hence there was a possibility that Javanese smith was making their own crucible/wootz steel. I don't have any clue regarding other methods such as blister steel or carbon migration, but it is worth to bear in mind that trading with Chinese has long been established, and chinese also migrated to Java. It is very possible that there were a capable blacksmith/iron worker among them. Japanese, from materials I've read, also learnt their art/skills from Chinese and then improved it. Java itsef should be considered as 'net importer' of iron, but in some area in archipelago, iron ore, and thus iron smelting centers certainly existed. Luwu, for example, has been trading iron at least since 14 c. Other areas were Ternate and Palembang (Bangka-Belitung). Unfortunately, I haven't read anything about the kind of iron were produced (wrought iron or steel), but to be in the safe side, we better assume it was wrought iron. Needless to say, there was no notes regarding the production amount and it was sure that the archipelago's iron production wasn't sufficient to fulfill it's own needs. Faced with irons which originated from different areas, Javanese blacksmith must be aware of the different qualities/characteristics of each iron, based on its origin, which certainly connected to the impurities in the ores and the method used to smelt it. Thus, they might mix some iron from different sources, to enhances it's quality. This practice makes an attempt to determine irons origin which compose a product (such as keris) based on it's impurity becomes very hard. If I'm not mistaken, Dutch also brought European's iron to achipelago for trading. In 17th C., Europeans have already used the blast furnaces and puddling to refine the pig iron, haven't they ?