Keris Buda

A. G. Maisey · 22nd August 2013, 12:25 AM

Our discussion group has been very quiet lately.

Friends who live in the Northern Hemisphere assure me that this is simply because the weather is too good to spend sitting in front of a computer. Maybe this is so, but I doubt that I have ever seen such an extended period with no new posts.

Over the last month I have had computer problems, email problems, net connection problems. All sorts of problems. But now I have a new computer, my net connection has been fixed, and I think I might have even corrected the email issues.

So, I am breaking with my usual practice of only starting a thread if I have something to say, and only contributing to a thread if I feel my contribution may be of use.

Here are photos of very early keris, the keris style that we now refer to as "Keris Buda". This is where the keris started. The inspiration for this blade form was the leaf shaped Indian blades that came into Jawa with Indian culture.

In Jawa this leaf shaped blade form was seen as similar to the indigenous Gunungan form, the Javanese "World Mountain", the place of the Gods and the ancestors. So the Keris Buda became , or was originated as, a weapon representation of this socio-religious Gunungan form.

This was the beginning. From this point a lot of things happened and we finally finished up with the keris as we know it today.

So here you are. Please enjoy looking at what the ancestors of the keris of the 15th century onwards looked like.

rasdan · 22nd August 2013, 06:44 AM

G'day Alan,

Thanks for the pictures. Very very interesting kerises. I always wondered, how do we actually authenticate this type of keris?

A link to an older keris buda thread, just in case other forumites wanted other references to expand this discussion:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12168

Rasdan

David · 22nd August 2013, 07:01 AM

Thanks Alan. I was on the verge of posting something myself put some wind in the sails in these doldrum days. Your posts are must appreciated.

On your first example is that a greneng-like feature where the gonjo hooks at the tail end or is it simply blade erosion?

A. G. Maisey · 22nd August 2013, 09:32 AM

Rasdan

As with many things associated with the keris there is no way to give absolutely cast iron guarantees about anything, however authentification of a Keris Buda can be a matter of agreement between equals with considerable experience. Very often the ones that are genuine have been newly found at the time when they are sold, for instance, the one on the left in my photos has deposits sticking to it that look and react like volcanic deposits, it has obviously been in the ground for a very long time. The others I've shown photos of are correct in respect of material and both have been agreed upon as KB's by very senior people.

Authentification probably all comes down to experience and expertise.

I do have other KB's that were clearly made at a later time, not modern times, but probably around 14th-15th century.

David

That hole in the end of the gonjo is erosion.

Battara · 23rd August 2013, 12:51 AM

Great examples to view Alan.

I guess I wonder how the form morphed into the sundang of later periods from Malaysia to the Philippines in a period of 200 years.

A. G. Maisey · 23rd August 2013, 01:34 AM

Battara, I have never looked at that question.

I have looked very closely and over a very extended period of time at development in Jawa itself, but after the keris left Jawa it seems to have followed independent lines of development in the various places that it entered.

I recall an article of some years past by (I think ) Federico Malibago, that impressed me at the time, and made a lasting impression on me. To my mind that was a well reasoned and logical rationalisation for development of the sword form of the keris.

22nd August 2013, 12:25 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,890	Keris Buda Our discussion group has been very quiet lately. Friends who live in the Northern Hemisphere assure me that this is simply because the weather is too good to spend sitting in front of a computer. Maybe this is so, but I doubt that I have ever seen such an extended period with no new posts. Over the last month I have had computer problems, email problems, net connection problems. All sorts of problems. But now I have a new computer, my net connection has been fixed, and I think I might have even corrected the email issues. So, I am breaking with my usual practice of only starting a thread if I have something to say, and only contributing to a thread if I feel my contribution may be of use. Here are photos of very early keris, the keris style that we now refer to as "Keris Buda". This is where the keris started. The inspiration for this blade form was the leaf shaped Indian blades that came into Jawa with Indian culture. In Jawa this leaf shaped blade form was seen as similar to the indigenous Gunungan form, the Javanese "World Mountain", the place of the Gods and the ancestors. So the Keris Buda became , or was originated as, a weapon representation of this socio-religious Gunungan form. This was the beginning. From this point a lot of things happened and we finally finished up with the keris as we know it today. So here you are. Please enjoy looking at what the ancestors of the keris of the 15th century onwards looked like. Attached Images

22nd August 2013, 06:44 AM	#2
rasdan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kuala Lumpur Posts: 368	G'day Alan, Thanks for the pictures. Very very interesting kerises. I always wondered, how do we actually authenticate this type of keris? A link to an older keris buda thread, just in case other forumites wanted other references to expand this discussion: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12168 Rasdan

22nd August 2013, 07:01 AM	#3
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,121	Thanks Alan. I was on the verge of posting something myself put some wind in the sails in these doldrum days. Your posts are must appreciated. On your first example is that a greneng-like feature where the gonjo hooks at the tail end or is it simply blade erosion?

22nd August 2013, 09:32 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,890	Rasdan As with many things associated with the keris there is no way to give absolutely cast iron guarantees about anything, however authentification of a Keris Buda can be a matter of agreement between equals with considerable experience. Very often the ones that are genuine have been newly found at the time when they are sold, for instance, the one on the left in my photos has deposits sticking to it that look and react like volcanic deposits, it has obviously been in the ground for a very long time. The others I've shown photos of are correct in respect of material and both have been agreed upon as KB's by very senior people. Authentification probably all comes down to experience and expertise. I do have other KB's that were clearly made at a later time, not modern times, but probably around 14th-15th century. David That hole in the end of the gonjo is erosion.

23rd August 2013, 12:51 AM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Great examples to view Alan. I guess I wonder how the form morphed into the sundang of later periods from Malaysia to the Philippines in a period of 200 years.

23rd August 2013, 01:34 AM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,890	Battara, I have never looked at that question. I have looked very closely and over a very extended period of time at development in Jawa itself, but after the keris left Jawa it seems to have followed independent lines of development in the various places that it entered. I recall an article of some years past by (I think ) Federico Malibago, that impressed me at the time, and made a lasting impression on me. To my mind that was a well reasoned and logical rationalisation for development of the sword form of the keris.