Indonesia Java Ancient Primitive Iron Ingot Money?

Lew · 3rd April 2011, 04:52 PM

I don't know if this belongs here thought it might be a keris related item? Let me know what it is.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ht_1871wt_1026

David · 3rd April 2011, 08:13 PM

I see no particular keris connection here though i will wait for others to add their imput...

Battara · 3rd April 2011, 08:48 PM

Ahhhhh......................er.................... ...umm.................well.............

Lew · 3rd April 2011, 10:38 PM

Well I did read that these are considered amulets/talisman that guard against evil spirits?

A. G. Maisey · 3rd April 2011, 11:24 PM

I reckon ebay is a wonderful source of information.

I never ever knew these little iron balls were money.

I haven't seen any for a while, so I guess they've all been bought up by coin collectors. I used to see them frequently in the markets in Solo and Jogja, and the sellers always said that they were for good luck, in other words, they were sold as talismans. I've got a heap of them somewhere, you used to be able to buy them for almost nothing.

Never knew they were made from keris either.

Like I said:- ebay is a real good source of info. Maybe even better than Wikipedia.

Lew · 3rd April 2011, 11:50 PM

Alan

I did not think these ingots were money but thought they might have had some cultural significance? So was I duped or is this really an old item?

A. G. Maisey · 4th April 2011, 12:08 AM

Lew, I have no idea how old , nor how culturally significant these things are.

I used to buy them from street sellers who had their little stalls on the sidewalk running down into the alun-alun utara in Solo --- line of sellers squatting on the ground with a cloth or a woven grass mat spread in front of them with various little curiosities on the mat , stuff like boars tusks, marbles, super cheapy rings,dried monkey penises, agates, little fossils --- that sort of stuff. Probably the main reason I bought anything at all from these sellers was to hone my bargaining skills before I went to the proper markets and started to spend real money. I haven't bought this sort of stuff for probably 30 years or more, but equally I haven't seen these little iron balls for that long also, however, if I went looking they could well still be available. I just don't know.

None of the people I know in Solo who saw them knew what they were, but all these people in Solo would have been family members, not people who are into the weird and esoteric.

Sorry I cannot be of more assistance.

fearn · 5th April 2011, 12:15 AM

Old iron musket ball, maybe?

Personally, I think you could do a great display showing the life cycle of a keris, with that as the egg form...

Best,

F

Lew · 11th April 2011, 08:08 PM

Just wanted to post the pics so they don't get lost.

David · 11th April 2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fearn

Personally, I think you could do a great display showing the life cycle of a keris, with that as the egg form...

Gentlemen, i see no supportable evidence that these objects have anything to do with keris. While i understand why Lew would raise the issue to begin with i think it is time to put this thread to rest unless someone is really able to make the connection. If we don't even talk about tombak on this forum then i don't see how we can entertain this subject.

fearn · 12th April 2011, 12:59 AM

I agree that they don't have anything to do with keris, except under the rubric of "keris-like-objects," which they aren't. That comment about them being keris eggs was meant as delayed April Fools' Day sarcasm.

Best,

F

David · 12th April 2011, 03:00 PM

I have moved this over to the regular forum at Lew's request. Frankly i don't think that these have anything to do with weapons, but maybe something will turn up over here.

3rd April 2011, 04:52 PM	#1
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Indonesia Java Ancient Primitive Iron Ingot Money Keris ? I don't know if this belongs here thought it might be a keris related item? Let me know what it is. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ht_1871wt_1026

11th April 2011, 08:08 PM	#9
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Just wanted to post the pics so they don't get lost. Attached Images

3rd April 2011, 08:13 PM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,113	I see no particular keris connection here though i will wait for others to add their imput...

3rd April 2011, 08:48 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,217	Ahhhhh......................er.................... ...umm.................well.............

3rd April 2011, 10:38 PM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Well I did read that these are considered amulets/talisman that guard against evil spirits?

3rd April 2011, 11:24 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,877	I reckon ebay is a wonderful source of information. I never ever knew these little iron balls were money. I haven't seen any for a while, so I guess they've all been bought up by coin collectors. I used to see them frequently in the markets in Solo and Jogja, and the sellers always said that they were for good luck, in other words, they were sold as talismans. I've got a heap of them somewhere, you used to be able to buy them for almost nothing. Never knew they were made from keris either. Like I said:- ebay is a real good source of info. Maybe even better than Wikipedia.

3rd April 2011, 11:50 PM	#6
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Alan I did not think these ingots were money but thought they might have had some cultural significance? So was I duped or is this really an old item?

4th April 2011, 12:08 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,877	Lew, I have no idea how old , nor how culturally significant these things are. I used to buy them from street sellers who had their little stalls on the sidewalk running down into the alun-alun utara in Solo --- line of sellers squatting on the ground with a cloth or a woven grass mat spread in front of them with various little curiosities on the mat , stuff like boars tusks, marbles, super cheapy rings,dried monkey penises, agates, little fossils --- that sort of stuff. Probably the main reason I bought anything at all from these sellers was to hone my bargaining skills before I went to the proper markets and started to spend real money. I haven't bought this sort of stuff for probably 30 years or more, but equally I haven't seen these little iron balls for that long also, however, if I went looking they could well still be available. I just don't know. None of the people I know in Solo who saw them knew what they were, but all these people in Solo would have been family members, not people who are into the weird and esoteric. Sorry I cannot be of more assistance.

5th April 2011, 12:15 AM	#8
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Old iron musket ball, maybe? Personally, I think you could do a great display showing the life cycle of a keris, with that as the egg form... Best, F

12th April 2011, 12:59 AM	#11
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	I agree that they don't have anything to do with keris, except under the rubric of "keris-like-objects," which they aren't. That comment about them being keris eggs was meant as delayed April Fools' Day sarcasm. Best, F

12th April 2011, 03:00 PM	#12
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,113	I have moved this over to the regular forum at Lew's request. Frankly i don't think that these have anything to do with weapons, but maybe something will turn up over here.