Kupu Tarung

[A. G. Maisey]

The keris shown in the Tosanaji Keris list was offered for sale at 6am on Monday, 20th June, Sydney time.

Before 6pm on Monday, 20th June, Sydney time, this keris had been sold, as was everything else listed in that catalogue.

I have never handled a keris with pamor kupu tarung, however, my understanding is that it is a pamor miring, that is, the pamor motif has been created by manipulating the material during the forging & welding process, so that the layers of material are at 90 degrees to the core.

In photos I have seen of kupu tarung, it does not look like pamor miring, it looks like pamor mlumah, that is, the pamor layers are horizontal to the blade core.

Pamor bendo sagodo, and pamor santa are created by manipulating the surface of a pamor mlumah forging.

Additionally, pamor kupu tarung gives a clear representation of butterfly wings that is created by using the odo-odo to provide a centreline to the butterflies.

[JustYS]

Illustration of pamor Kupu Tarung (courtesy of google)