Keris with strange ( to me ) blade

fernando · 19th April 2008, 08:24 PM

Please help here,
This is a small keris i have just bought.
Its 8 inches blade has a strange particularity; instead of having its sides regularly plane it has, how to say, some hollows or waves

. The edges are almost not afected by this efect ... the hollows are more noticeable in the middle, like some deformable material you mould by pressing your thumb upon.
I hope this is visible in the pictures, as i wouldn't know how to put it in a propper english

.
Seller has dated the blade XVI century and the handle XIX century.
I would be much obliged for your coments, namely on the blade typology, attributed age plausibility, and whatever you kindly offer from your knowledge.
Fernando

lemmythesmith · 19th April 2008, 08:49 PM

Hi Fernando, the depressions in the blade are called "pichit" and are supposed to be made by the smith forming the metal with the thumb-not a technique I've ever used in any of my blades

Henk · 19th April 2008, 09:32 PM

Looks to me as a keris bethok pichit. Bethok is the dapur name and the pichit as Lemmy said are the thumb prints of the empu.
But I really doubt the blade is XVI century.

David · 19th April 2008, 09:51 PM

Nice keris picit. These are talismanic keris. As suggested the imprints are supposed to be done with the fingers of the maker. They are certainly less common, but not paticularly strange.

I don't think the seller's info is that far off. Pictures never tell the whole story, but this could very well be 16th or 17th century as far as i can tell. Is there a sheath? Can we see the pesi (tang)? What is the blade length?

fernando · 19th April 2008, 11:40 PM

Thank you all, for your teachings.
No David, there is no sheath

.
The blade is 8 inches ( 21 cms. ) long. The mendak (correct ?) is in copper.
I am not at home at the moment ( in Lisbon visiting my daughter ... and arms shopping

).
When i get back, i will adventure to dismount the hilt and take pictures of the pesi.
Could you meanwhile tell what region this keris come from ?
Thanks a lot.
Fernando

David · 20th April 2008, 07:18 PM

As far as the exact region i could not say, but it is probably safe to say Jawa is the place of origin. I am curious to see if the pesi has a hole, or the remains of a hole, in the end of it. The size seems right for talismanic purposes and often these keris were hung by these holes in special places of importance. It is possible that this keris was never intended to have a hilt at all and it would be no surprise then that it would also be sheathless.
Given the look of the material in the photo at least i would also not be surprised to find that this blade is at least 1700s if not older.

19th April 2008, 08:24 PM	#1
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Keris with strange ( to me ) blade Please help here, This is a small keris i have just bought. Its 8 inches blade has a strange particularity; instead of having its sides regularly plane it has, how to say, some hollows or waves . The edges are almost not afected by this efect ... the hollows are more noticeable in the middle, like some deformable material you mould by pressing your thumb upon. I hope this is visible in the pictures, as i wouldn't know how to put it in a propper english . Seller has dated the blade XVI century and the handle XIX century. I would be much obliged for your coments, namely on the blade typology, attributed age plausibility, and whatever you kindly offer from your knowledge. Fernando Attached Images

19th April 2008, 11:40 PM	#5
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Thank you all, for your teachings. No David, there is no sheath . The blade is 8 inches ( 21 cms. ) long. The mendak (correct ?) is in copper. I am not at home at the moment ( in Lisbon visiting my daughter ... and arms shopping ). When i get back, i will adventure to dismount the hilt and take pictures of the pesi. Could you meanwhile tell what region this keris come from ? Thanks a lot. Fernando Last edited by fernando; 20th April 2008 at 03:50 PM.

19th April 2008, 08:49 PM	#2
lemmythesmith Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 93	Hi Fernando, the depressions in the blade are called "pichit" and are supposed to be made by the smith forming the metal with the thumb-not a technique I've ever used in any of my blades

19th April 2008, 09:32 PM	#3
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Looks to me as a keris bethok pichit. Bethok is the dapur name and the pichit as Lemmy said are the thumb prints of the empu. But I really doubt the blade is XVI century.

19th April 2008, 09:51 PM	#4
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,125	Nice keris picit. These are talismanic keris. As suggested the imprints are supposed to be done with the fingers of the maker. They are certainly less common, but not paticularly strange. I don't think the seller's info is that far off. Pictures never tell the whole story, but this could very well be 16th or 17th century as far as i can tell. Is there a sheath? Can we see the pesi (tang)? What is the blade length?

20th April 2008, 07:18 PM	#6
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,125	As far as the exact region i could not say, but it is probably safe to say Jawa is the place of origin. I am curious to see if the pesi has a hole, or the remains of a hole, in the end of it. The size seems right for talismanic purposes and often these keris were hung by these holes in special places of importance. It is possible that this keris was never intended to have a hilt at all and it would be no surprise then that it would also be sheathless. Given the look of the material in the photo at least i would also not be surprised to find that this blade is at least 1700s if not older.