What is the relationship between a keris and its hilt in the ancient culture?

[Gustav]

There is a translation of Jasper/Mas Pirngadie, please excuse for the quality, I am reading Dutch with difficulties.

"The golden and ivory keris hilts of the four above forms (togogan, gerantim, kocet-kocetan and djaglir) were previously weared only by people belonging to the triwangsa (one of 3 castes). Today (between 1920 and 1930) there are no longer worries about that regulation and one sees golden keris hilts weared also by rich Soedra's.

They were previously alloved to wear only wooden keris hilts, which are looking like some of the simplest Javanese keris hilts, but are thicker and shorter. They are called bebondollan (ordinary form) or tjekahan (with symmetrical horizontal incised slots). Sometimes, they have the form of a slightly curved cylinder, which, in order to make it easier to maintain, is wrapped with a thick idjoek-wire. "

Regarding further rank distinctions in Bali (from M.Wiener, page 66):

"Keris also marked distinctions of rank: high status men nyungklit their keris, wore them on their backs, hilts peeking over their shoulders; others nyelet their keris, wore them at their waists."

This explains, why the Balinese farmer from Jensens book, page 211, is carrying his two kerisses at the waist.