Sunggingans

[A. G. Maisey]

Things have been a bit too quiet for a bit too long.

I've been trying to think of some sort of relevant question or topic that might stir up a few comments, but I haven't been able to come up with anything that I consider to be worthwhile.

So I'm indulging in a little bit of "show & tell".

Not much tell, but a bit of show.

Herewith a Surakarta keris in painted, or "sunggingan" dress.

Maybe somebody else feels inclined to add a sunggingan picture or two?

[David]

Thanks Alan. I've been thinking much the same. The crickets have been deafening around these parts. Would love to see some discussions get going here.
Nice example. Would this be a more recent effort? Do these painted sheaths serve a specific cultural purpose, meaning were they intended for any specific societal rank or class?
Here is my one and only example from Bali, which i assume is an older one. Would this be called sunggingan in Bali as well or is there a local term for it?

[A. G. Maisey]

The one I've shown came from an old collection that was put together in Jawa a little after WWII, so it probably comes from at least the 1930's.

I think we can probably date your Bali one to pre-WWII also.

As far as I am aware sunggingan dress in Bali lapsed between the beginning of WWII and maybe as recently as the late 1990's.

I have not heard anything regarding how and when sunggingan dress used to be worn, but these days it seems to be OK to wear for anything except where keris dress is subject to specific rules. My guess is that in previous times it was probably used for public events with a festive air, such as wayang performance attendance, or maybe parties or gatherings.

Here are images of Surakarta Keraton soldiers --- purely ceremonial these days --- parading in the Keraton courtyard, and a couple of them had sunggingan dress on their keris.

[A. G. Maisey]

I do not speak nor understand Balinese and I do not know an equivalent term in Balinese to "sunggingan".

[drdavid]

Alan, do we know how long sunggingan dress has been around. Is it a relatively modern thing (say the last 100 years) or does it go back further
cheers
David

[A. G. Maisey]

Sunggingan scabbards, and perhaps sunggingan hilts have been in use for a very long time, perhaps even from the very beginning.

There are examples of keris with sunggingan dress that pre-date 1700 in both the Dresden and Copenhagen collections. These are North Coast Jawa keris, and the nature of the ornamentation seems to owe much to a Chinese ancestry, however, when we consider that Javanese temples dating from the Early Classical Period were brightly painted, and that the keris seems to have had a religious association from the time of the appearance of its earliest forms, then we factor in the Javanese inclination for display, it is highly probable that even the earliest forms of keris had painted scabbards.

The word "sunggingan" simply means "painted decoration", but the use of this word, rather than the use of other words referring to paint or decoration, implies a form of decoration that is intricate and skilful.

I have not looked at Jensen's "Kris Disc" for a very long time, but I am sure that if we were to trawl through this we would find examples of early sunggingan dress.

[S.Workman]

Thats remarkable, so these painted ensembles show scenes of court activity, or are they depictions of myth or history?

[A. G. Maisey]

The motifs used on sunggingan keris scabbards cover a wide range of subjects, they can be traditional Javanese motifs that are used in other decorative art or craft, they can be wayang figures, or they can be purely abstract.

The motif on the scabbard I've shown has wayang figures, what they are doing I don't know, but somebody with a much better knowledge of the wayang than I have could perhaps guess.

The scabbard shown in this post has an alas-alasan (forest) motif, showing various animals.

[semar]

one other sunggingan


regards semar

[rasdan]

G'day Alan,

Thank you for sharing. I am just wondering, are there any rules on what can be painted as sunggingan? Say scenes from wayang only etc..

On some older keris, I noticed that the sunggingan (if we can call it sunggingan) the scene painted are quite random. However I am not sure if the "sunggingan" are Javanese in the first place. Below is an example of a keris that have such painting.

[A. G. Maisey]

Isn't that a beautiful keris?

A real classic.

North Coast alas2an motif.

As to rules. I know of none insofar as the motif is concerned, however, in the Surakarta court there are rules that govern the pendok colour and the background colour to the motif.

The "colour code" for Surakarta is:-

wrongko base colour

white or yellow --- bupati
gold --- pangeran
sea blue --- penewu
light green --- mantri

pendok colour

red --- royal family or bupati
green --- penewu
dark grey --- lurah
black --- jajar, and in addition a black pendok is permitted for all ranks and the general public for wear at a funeral

Court clowns --- pelawak --- are permitted a kemalo pendok of any colour, but they are required to wear it with a jejeran Rojomolo.

Source for the above was Empu Suparman.

[rasdan]

Thank you Alan for the info. I don't know the keris that I posted have a valid traditional design. I thought it's just a scene in a bush..

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes, well it is a scene in the bush.

The bush is forest, forest is alas-alas, thus a forest or bush scene is an alas-alasan scene. The way in which this is expressed or interpreted can vary, but if it has the necessary elements it is nothing other than an alas-alasan motif, and the necessary elements are animals/birds in a setting of foliage.

[Gustav]

Originally Posted by rasdan

On some older keris, I noticed that the sunggingan (if we can call it sunggingan) the scene painted are quite random. However I am not sure if the "sunggingan" are Javanese in the first place. Below is an example of a keris that have such painting.

The matters with this keris and its painted sheath are a bit complicated and very interesting.

At first some facts about its provenance. The first ascertained provenance is the estate inventory of Maximilian III (von Habsburg), who was the son of Austrian Emperor Maximilian II and Maria of Spain (daughter of Isabella of Portugal and granddaughter of Manuel I of Portugal), and the Grandmaster of Teutonic Order. From 1632 on it's frequently mentioned in the inventories of Teutonic Order. It makes this keris one of the three oldest with secure provenance.

Now some interesting possibility.

There is an inventory of Guarda Roupa (wardrobe, an analogue to Kunstkammer) of the King Manuel I of Portugal from 1522. There is mentioned a keris with rock chrystal hilt and scabbard adorned with rubies, and two other keris, whose hilts were carved in the form of women (Heritage of Rauluchantim, catalogue of an exhibition held in Museu de Sao Roque in Lisboa, 1996). Another mentioning of this inventory in Exotica, Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, 2000, says, these two other keris have wooden scabbards, and the hilts are made from horn, adorned with rubies.

Besides this perhaps beeing the earliest mentioning of a Wadon (or Balu Mekabun) hilt form, there is some possibility the inventory from 1522 lists the keris in question - it has a Wadon hilt, made from Rhinoceros horn, adorned with rubies, and a wooden scabbard.

Now to the painting on the scabbard of this keris.

It is done in lacquer painting, gold on green background. There is no other early Sunggingan (the two most complete ones beeing the Sendai and the (other) Wienna keris), where painting would be done in this technique. Also the style of painting on all other early Sunggingan is completely different.

The style of the painting on this scabbard is Indo/Portuguese and characteristic for a group of furniture, made or painted in workshops in Cochin for portuguese market. There is a tabletop in Kunstkammer of Kunsthistorisches Museum in Wienna, Inv Nr. 4958, which belonged to Viceroy of Portugal, Albrecht of Austria, first mentioned in an inventory from 1596. The technique, lacquer painting, and the colours are the same, the style of painting almost completely identical to the scabbard in question. It can be judged quite well, becouse the scenery is the same, animals/birds in a setting of foliage.

Regarding the adornments of the hilt, they are very close/identical to the adornments found on Ceylonese ivory objects, made for portuguese market.

[rasdan]

Thank you for your input Alan and Gustav,

Except for Kris Disk, I have no information on old keris collection in Europe that have been recorded. It is quite mind boggling to imagine that this keris had been in Europe since 1522.

So perhaps this sunggingan was done in Europe? That explains the rabbits in the painting. I earlier thought that the rabbits is a copy from European paintings that have rabbit pictures on it or rabbits had already made their way into Jawa at that time.

This reminds of the keris from kris disk that have different than the traditional theme. It is mentioned in Kris disk that the sunggingan was probably made in Europe copying Chinese motifs which also use gold paint. The collection date for this keris is 1718ad.

[A. G. Maisey]

That's very nice information Gustav, and it demonstrates the extent to which other cultures and societies have contributed to Javanese/Indonesian culture/society.

We now tend to think of much of this contribution as being original to the place where we find it, even the people who are native to the area think so, but when evidence such as you have presented surfaces we need to rethink the entire thing.

Thank you.

[A. G. Maisey]

I have been very pressed for time over the last few days, thus I limited my response to Gustav's informative post to just a couple of lines, but the information he has shared with us certainly generates as many questions as it does answers.

I'm going to wander a little bit before I raise any questions, so please bear with me, or if you really don't like reading text, scroll down to START HERE.

The first sunggingan keris that I ever handled was one that I bought in the early 1970's in Solo. It is an old sunggingan, alas-alasan motif, Surakarta ladrangan. I was a bit puzzled by it because I did not at that time understand sunggingans, so I asked the seller for information, and then I followed that info up with several other people.

The consensus of opinion from these Solo people was that sunggingan ornamentation had its origin with the Dutch, yes, the motifs were certainly Javanese and could be found in other Javanese works, such as, for instance, batik, but the idea of the painted ornamentation was supposedly Dutch.

In the years that followed my initial purchase I saw and purchased many other sunggingan keris, and there is a display of sunggingans in the Radya Pustaka Museum. Not only keris are given sunggingan dress, but other tosan aji also, wedung, tombak, pedang. A couple of examples with this post. Style in sunggingan work is almost limitless, it is usually one or another interpretation of a traditional Javanese motif, but examples of a wide range of styles can be found.

Sunggingan work is also applied to furniture and to other household items, it can be found on blawong and ploncon.

I have also seen sunggingan work on furniture in museums, not much of it where I live, but in Europe there is a lot of old furniture that has sunggingan ornamentation.

Up until about 25 years ago if I had been asked for an opinion on the origin of sunggingan ornamentation I would have repeated what I had been told by my Solonese informants, that it was inspired by Dutch contact. Possibly this is correct as far as it goes, the Dutch had a lot of influence on many things Javanese. However, as I learnt more about the ancient past of Jawa, my opinions on this matter of sunggingan origin changed.

Sunggingan work can be found in places in Indonesia where the Dutch did not have a particularly heavy influence, for instance, Bali, and Balinese sunggingan work is very, very different to most Javanese sunggingan work, although some of it seems to have been influenced by Cirebon motifs, and does display distinct Chinese characteristics.

Is this a direct Chinese influence? It may well be, as there are numerous other things that we can identify in Balinese culture that seem to owe something to Chinese influence, or is this Chinese style from North Coast Jawa? I cannot answer this question, but it might be a very good field for somebody to investigate.

But to return to Jawa. Surakarta seems to have had a fondness for sunggingan ornamentation, and the motifs used cover virtually the entire field of motifs that can be found in other Javanese art and craft, but sunggingan work was used in other places as well. I have seen, but do not own, a number of old examples of North Coast sunggingan work, some of this work has been very fine, and does not echo the style of the Central Javanese motifs, but although repetitive, this North Coast style is less ordered that the Central Javanese style, and very often displays a distinct Chinese influence.

Another thing that I have seen in Javanese sunggingan work is a propensity for including animals that are not indigenous to Jawa, included in the relevant motifs. This is in fact very common. I once saw a pre-WWII wrongko that had kangaroos included, and I have seen kangaroos in several current era works. Rabbits also make frequent appearances. In the recent past, say the last 100 years or so, it seems that the philosophy of the sungging artists is art, rather than reality, and this may well have always been true.

START HERE:-
1) Rasdan, the keris that you show in post #15 is European work, I've forgotten the details, but I'm certain that Gustav will know.

2) Gustav, my questions following are not intended to throw even the smallest doubt upon the information that you have provided, but only to better understand the information you have provided:-

A) bearing in mind that the Portuguese did not have much success in establishing a presence on Jawa, do you believe it is reasonable to assume that this keris (post #10) was taken by the Portuguese to Cochin and decorated there?

B) what is the source for identification of the gold on this scabbard as "lacquer" ?

C) I have absolutely no knowledge of the characteristics of Indo/Portuguese style in painted ornamentation, so I have put in some time in trying to find examples of this Indo/Portuguese style, the better to understand the relationship to the style of ornamentation on this scabbard.
This is of interest to me, because elements of what I can see in the ornamentation on this scabbard I have also seen in Javanese sunggingan work.
Perhaps the Javanese work owes its origin to Portuguese work, but since there was no lasting contact with the Portuguese on Jawa, it causes me to wonder just where this influence on Javanese work may have come from.
Certainly the inclusion of hares or rabbits in the motif on the keris scabbard can hardly be indigenous Javanese, but the overall execution of the keris scabbard motif does bear a similarity to some much later Javanese execution.
Is there an online image of the table top that you mention? (Kunstkammer of Kunsthistorisches Museum in Wienna, Inv Nr. 4958). I have searched for one, but have had no success. If you can provide a hardcopy reference that would also be of use.

[Gustav]

Here is a link to a description of the second keris Rasdan posted, also a good chance to study an authentic end of 17th/beginning of 18th cent. Singa Barong blade from a somewhat better picture:

http://masterpieces.asemus.museum/ma...objectId=10902

Alan, I will post two pictures of this tabletop later this evening. I didn't found any on internet. The description as "lacquer painting" comes from "Exotica. Portugals Entdeckungen im Spiegel fürstlicher Kunst- und Wunderkammern der Renaissance, Wien 2000", ISBN 3-85497-009-9. It is a highly recomendable book, only after reading it I have understood, how fast the portuguese builded up a net of local workshops in countries they just have reached, to produce objects of interest for the very first, then mostly royal, collectors of curiosities back in Europe. From beginning on there is a very interesting mixture of styles (chinese artists from Macao tranplanted to Cochin to work in an indo/persian/portuguese style). Such mixture in arts is actually one of the most interesting sides of colonialism (like the upright piano in Burmese folk music from 1880-ties or violin and guitar in vietnamese folk music from the end of 19th cent.).

Regarding Balinese Sunggingans, I also thought, this could be a direct chinese influence/to me the style of painting very often looks chinese. Some time ago I was searching for a motif of two birds opposite one another. Here are two examples from Malay Peninsula and Bali, with birds and foliage, of course it could also be a pure coincidence. Till today I don't know the meaning of this motif (if there is any), yet I suppose, it could perhaps come from Middle-Asia and has been brought to SEAsia via chinese population.

[David]

If you look carefully Gustav you will see that my Bali example also has two birds facing one another, though my birds are not in flight.
Your Malay example i believe (as you are probably aware) is not painted, but rather inlaid wire (gold?).

[Gustav]

David, yes, indeed, there are birds on your Sunggingan. Thank you for the hint.

Attached are somewhat better pictures of the perhaps oldest provenanced Sunggingan, the other Vienna Keris, possibly first mentioned in 1607. It is in style very similar to the Sunggingan in Sendai (1622) and the Sunggingan from Skokloster in Sweden. The spontaneity of the painting is quite different from later Sunggingans. The thema of all these early Sunggingan is Alas-Alasan.

There is an interesting detail, an insect at the very top of the sheath, a dragonfly (?). An insect, mostly butterfly at this place is depicted also on some of the older modern Solo style Alas-Alasan Sunggingans (like the one on cover of Solyoms book), and, I see now, possibly also on David's Sunggingan.

The one possible explanation could be the Alas-Alasan as the cosmic model of the world and thus the insects (and birds) belonging to the heaven, the highest sphere.

"The vertical image is concerned with the universe. Fundamental is the inclusion of a protective elemant to faciliate contacts with the deities and the ancestors. Most basical is the bipartite upper world-lower world. The patterns consist of birds and flowering creepers - sky and earth. In FIGURE 11, the protective element is represented by the Chinese mythic dog-lion, ky'lin. (...) More complex is the abstracted tripartite world of water flowing down the mountains, forested land, and wings floating above in the sky (...)"

from "Five Centuries of Indonesian Textiles", the Mary Hunt Kahlenberg Collection, Prestel 2010.

Perhaps like ky'lin, the mythical kreature on this Sunggingan (similar to the three carriages with elephant head, eagle wings and lions body in Cirebon, dating back to the 16th cent. (1549)) has a protective function.

[Gustav]

Here pictures of the tabletop, attributed to Cochin, before 1595, compared to Sunggingan of Deutschorden's keris from Vienna. Singular for a Sunggingan and perhaps a possible evidence for a non-javanese taste is the horizontal orientation of the tableau.

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you very much for the additional information Gustav. All of this is in an area where I have very slight knowledge. I find particularly interesting the use of Chinese artists by the Portuguese, as to my eye the green sunggingan wrongko to a greater degree, and the tabletop to a lesser degree both display a Chinese hand.

I am not saying that I am any sort of authority on Chinese art, but I have been surrounded by Chinese art and references for most of my life, and I have a very close association with somebody who paints in Chinese style. It is impossible for me to escape the saturation effect of Chinese art.

Insofar as Javanese symbolism is concerned , the quote that
"the vertical image is concerned with the universe" can be accepted in some representations, but it would be quite incorrect to accept this as an overarching interpretation that can be universally accepted.

The dragonfly in Javanese symbolism can be interpreted in a number of ways, rather like a word that can have a number of meanings depending on the context in which it is used. It is a symbol of change, it connects air and water, it can be read as a symbol related to a warrior, but it can also be a substitution for a butterfly.

The butterfly in Hindu symbolism is a symbol of Brahma, Brahma is the creator so the butterfly can be read as creation, or in Hindu thought, as rebirth, but there is another interpretation in Hindu thought, and that is as married harmony, in fact in one of the Hindu wedding ceremonies ( I forget which one) the ceremony begins with the word "prajapati". Prajapati is equivalent to (but not the same as) Brahma, but it can also be understood as "butterfly", or as "king".

Butterflies and dragonflies cannot be understood as birds or bird substitutes, birds can be understood in a number of ways, depending on the bird. In Javanese symbolism in general, as a bridge between the upper realm and the earth, so as a line of communication with the dead, this can particularly apply with the cockatoo, but with the dove, as a symbol of love or lust --- I've always found this a bit humorous, as amongst birds, the dove is exceptionally vicious with its own kind, it is one of the few birds that will fight its own kind to the death, mostly birds only fight to achieve domination, but not the dove:- doves fight to kill.

Anyway, butterflies and dragon flies occupying the same iconographic niche as birds? No. Not in Jawa anyway.

The association of dragonflies with water is interesting when we consider the use of a dragonfly motif in association with a keris, because one of the symbolic associations of the keris is with water. The part of the keris that is most closely tied to water symbolism is the ganja, which is probably symbolically associated with Dewi Gangga, and when we enter this realm of symbolic associations we're really getting into very deep water --- so to speak. Note that the dragonfly appears at the top of an alas-alasan motif, in line with the position of the ganja when the keris is in the warangka. Note also that the butterfly can be understood as a dragonfly substitute --- and vice versa.

Lots of thought provoking stuff here. Don't have a nervous breakdown thinking about it.

The symbolism of the alas-alasan motif is that it represents the world.

In Hindu thought the whole world is a forest --- actually three different kinds of forest ---, to maintain our world we must maintain the forests, everything in our physical world is an aspect of the singularity of the Supreme Being, we respect the world and all in it, we respect the Supreme Being. The Ultimate Reality is everywhere, in everything, but in the forest representation we symbolise only this world that we live in, not the cosmos.

I've used the Hindu example here, but Hindu symbolism and thought patterns are vital in understanding Javanese thought patterns. They may not be the same, but they do seem to permeate much of Javanese culture and society.

I cannot interpret accurately the two birds symbol that we see so frequently. I have had many interpretations of this symbol given to me, and I have read many more, but there seems to be so much variation in what can be understood from this symbol that I hesitate to try to interpret it at all.

[Gustav]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

The symbolism of the alas-alasan motif is that it represents the world.

In Hindu thought the whole world is a forest --- actually three different kinds of forest ---, to maintain our world we must maintain the forests, everything in our physical world is an aspect of the singularity of the Supreme Being, we respect the world and all in it, we respect the Supreme Being. The Ultimate Reality is everywhere, in everything, but in the forest representation we symbolise only this world that we live in, not the cosmos.

Alan, thank you for the explanations regarding insects and birds, and especially the Gonjo-water connection. Regarding Sunggingan Solyom writes:

"On either side of the hole where the blade enters the sheath, may be painted a four petalled flower, probably a lotus, floating on water".

So the hilt (and Pesi) is sitting in a lotus, an idea, which lives forth also in Malay Pendokok with petals.

Regarding my use of the word "cosmos" in connection with Alas-Alasan:

Alas-Alasan is described as a "cosmic model" in the essay of Rens Heringa in "Five Centuries of Indonesian Textiles" 2010, which is a quite serious publication. His reference for this was Solyom&Solyom, "Notes on Indonesian Textiles" 1979, which I don't have.

In "The World of Javanese Keris" regarding Alas-Alasan (p. 54) Solyom writes:

"The combination seems clearly to represent a universal totality."

Cosmos is an universal totality.

[A. G. Maisey]

Gustav , Garrett & Bronwen Solyom are good friends of mine. I respect their work, I have a very good idea of their understanding of the keris.

I knew their principle mentor, Goh Tik Swan (Panembahan Harjonegoro alm.) and I am familiar with the orientation of his understanding of Indonesian, especially Javanese, art.

I have owned a copy of "World of the Javanese Keris" since it was first published, and in my opinion it is the most valuable single book that has ever been written on the keris. It contains no material error, but that does not mean that I agree with everything that is written in that book. I know the way in which their book was written, I know the reasons for which it was written, I know the sources which were drawn upon to provide the information contained between its covers.

The book itself, and that which is contained in it, is essential reading for everybody who has any interest at all in the keris.

However, no matter how excellent any printed material may be, that excellence cannot guard against a misinterpretation of the writer's meaning. Garrett & Bronwen do indeed use the term "universal totality", but they do not refer to this totality as "cosmos".

Cosmos is a very fine word, and it is much favoured by elegant writers, however, as with the word "universal" it has several meanings, and in the absence of an understanding of the context in which it is used, its use can lead to a misunderstanding. The word "cosmos" can be used to mean either the universe, or the world in which we live.

In the case of the alas-alasan motif, we are looking at a symbolic representation of the world in which we live, we are not looking at a representation of the universe. However, when a symbol of the gunungan is included in any motif, that is a reference to the cosmos, so if gunungan symbolism is included in an alas-alasan motif, it is referring to the cosmos, where "cosmos" can be understood as the world in which we live. But the complete alas-alasan motif is not representative of the cosmos where "cosmos" is to be understood as "world".

It is possible that Rens Heringa intended his use of "cosmos" to mean "the world in which we live", if so then I have no quarrel with that, however, it is more likely that he was misled by a minor misunderstanding in one of the captions in "World ---".

Caption to photo 151, a photo of a sunggingan warangka, gives the interpretation of the title "Paku Buana" as "nail of the universe", in fact Sinuhun's title should be interpreted as "nail of the earth", and to be understood as "nail at the centre of the earth".

You see, in the understanding of the Javanese people who regard Sinuhun (Paku Buana) as their lord it is he who maintains the order that holds the physical world together. I have been told on more than one occasion that the order of this world is totally dependent upon the prayers and meditation of Sinuhun. The world as we know it would collapse without Sinuhun to hold it together. In Javanese understanding, Surakarta Hadiningrat is at the centre of this world, and Sinuhun is at the centre of Surakarta Hadiningrat.

But this world, even though it may be at the centre of the universe, is a part of the universe:- Sinuhun cannot be the entity which holds the Universe together, for such an arrogant stance would place him above The One God, whomever one believes that God to be. Arrogance causes adversity and failure. Sinuhun would never take an action which could endanger the world. I am repeating here Javanese belief as it has been taught to me.

Sinuhun's realm is of this world, his authority does not extend to the entire universe.

So the understanding of the alas-alasan motif depends upon the way in which two words are to be understood, these words are "cosmos", and "universal".

We have addressed the way in which "cosmos" is to be understood, but "universal" can also be understood in more than one way. In association with the interpretation of the alas-alasan motif "universal" must be understood as "including the whole of something specified or implied" (Oxford), it must not be understood as a reference to the "whole of created or existing things regarded collectively". The thing that is implied in an understanding of the alas-alasan motif is this world, it is not the whole of creation.

Once this distinction between the whole of the physical world, and the whole of all things created or existing is understood, then the understanding of the alas-alasan motif becomes clear, and that understanding is precisely the Hindu understanding, where the entire world is regarded as a forest.

[Gustav]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

The word "cosmos" can be used to mean either the universe, or the world in which we live.


It is possible that Rens Heringa intended his use of "cosmos" to mean "the world in which we live", if so then I have no quarrel with that, however, it is more likely that he was misled by a minor misunderstanding in one of the captions in "World ---".

Alan, thank you very much for your explanations again.

I cannot speek for Rens Heringa, yet it seems to be possible, he used "cosmos" in its meaning "the world in which we live".

His reference wasn't "World of Javanese Keris", it was "Cosmic Symbolism in Semen and Alasalasan. Patterns in Javanese Textiles" by Solyom&Solyom in Gittinger, "Indonesian Textiles", 1979.

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes, I can see I misread the reference. Sorry.

If Rens Heringa did use "cosmos" in the sense of world rather than universe, then we have no problems.

However, I always have found this dual meaning rather strange. It is quite correct, Oxford tells me so, but I always read cosmos and universe in the larger sense unless the specific cosmos or universe are either identified or implied.

When we speak of the Gunungan as a cosmic symbol, we are speaking of all in creation, because we know that this is what the Gunungan is related to, but where there is no prior understanding of context these two words --- universe, cosmos --- can very easily be misunderstood.

Even my reference to the Javanese word "buana" can raise misunderstanding, because depending on context, buana can also be read as universe, the only reason that I know that it is our world that is meant in this context is because I have been told so.

[A. G. Maisey]

That little foray into the more serious side of things was both informative and amusing, but I didn't start this thread with the idea of getting too serious, I just wanted to get one of the more entertaining keris forms up for people to see, keris forms that are not very often seen.

So here's another one.Surakarta, ladrangan, motif is what we call "lung-lungan", a specific name for a motif of curling tendrils, "lung" means tendril or shoot.

The base colour of sea blue indicates that it is suited for wear by a penewu.

[A. G. Maisey]

David, you queried if there was a Balinese word that was the equivalent of "sunggingan".

I do not speak or understand Balinese, but my niece lives in Bali, I have just now spoken with her husband and he tells me that the equivalent word to "sunggingan" in Balinese is "laburan".

[David]

Thanks Alan.

[A. G. Maisey]

I now have a copy of the article written by Garrett & Bronwen Solyom, and that was used as a reference by Rens Heringa, as quoted by Gustav in post #23 of this thread.

The correct title of the article is "Notes and Observations on Indonesian Textiles", it was published in "Threads of Tradition" by Joseph Fischer, published by the University of California, which was a catalogue intended to accompany exhibitions held at the Lowie Museum of Anthropology, and the University Art Museum in Berkeley.

It is always useful to look at references, as not infrequently an author may either misinterpret a reference, or manipulate its meaning to suit his own agenda.

Gustav has told us that :-

" Alas-Alasan is described as a "cosmic model" in the essay of Rens Heringa in "Five Centuries of Indonesian Textiles" 2010, which is a quite serious publication."

It would seem that Rens Heringa has used this sentence in the Solyom article as his reference:-

"It appears that these elements might be part of a diagram of a conception of the cosmos"

this was written in discussion of the alas-alasan motif as used in certain specific royal cloths.

In fact, the alas-alasan motif is very frequently encountered in Javanese art, and has many forms of expression, not all of which can be thought of in the same way as the interpretation that the Solyoms were discussing in reference to its use on the specific royal cloths.

It is perhaps a little extreme to use a conjecture, such as was made by the Solyoms, as foundation for the interpretation of a motif that has many forms of expression which occur throughout a culture.

A better understanding of the nature of the alas-alasan motif may perhaps be obtained by a reading of the online version of this article:-

http://www.iiste.org/Journals/index....le/19032/19277

note in particular the source of this article.


Paku Buwono
To further clarify what I wrote in post #24 of this thread on the understanding of the title "Paku Buana" (this can also be transliterated as Paku Buwana, Paku Buwono, Paku Buono, Paku Buana).

In 2004 the Karaton Surakarta published an official book dealing with the Karaton, and endorsed by S.I.S.K.S. Paku Buwono XII. In the glossary of this book the term "Paku Buwono" is defined as:-

"name of the Surakarta royal dynasty: Nail/axis of the world".

The confusion that consistently arises in respect of how the word "buwono" must be understood in this context permeates almost all writings that deal with the Karaton Surakarta, even writings by people who should know better.

The fact of the matter is that the only people who truly know how the term should be understood are people who are high in the Karaton hierarchy, or those who have been taught by one of these people.