Wierd Riau Keris Blade

Jentayu · 3rd July 2012, 02:38 PM

Got this piece recently and was told that it is a Malay Riau keris. While it may has a typical bugis damascene blade with pamor hujung gunung and kulit semangka, the thing that makes it different is the "scales" that appear throughout one third of the blade from the base followed by talismanic / Quranic verse towards the tip. The sheath however is badly cracked and probably needs major restoration.

Is this considered as "naga bugis / Riau blade"? And that being Islamically inclined Muslim ethnic community in the Riau islands, the naga form was not depicted on the blade but just the "scales'?

Any input from fellow forumites?

David · 3rd July 2012, 04:53 PM

My feeling is that the scales, and probably the verse as well, were added later in the life of this keris. Since this is not a naga keris the scales really don't make much sense, i'm afraid.

A. G. Maisey · 3rd July 2012, 11:55 PM

Yep.

3rd July 2012, 02:38 PM	#1
Jentayu Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 63	Wierd Riau Keris Blade Got this piece recently and was told that it is a Malay Riau keris. While it may has a typical bugis damascene blade with pamor hujung gunung and kulit semangka, the thing that makes it different is the "scales" that appear throughout one third of the blade from the base followed by talismanic / Quranic verse towards the tip. The sheath however is badly cracked and probably needs major restoration. Is this considered as "naga bugis / Riau blade"? And that being Islamically inclined Muslim ethnic community in the Riau islands, the naga form was not depicted on the blade but just the "scales'? Any input from fellow forumites? Attached Images

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3rd July 2012, 04:53 PM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,250	My feeling is that the scales, and probably the verse as well, were added later in the life of this keris. Since this is not a naga keris the scales really don't make much sense, i'm afraid.

3rd July 2012, 11:55 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,084	Yep.