Errors in Keris Literature

[Alam Shah]

For sometime now, we had mentioned many a time, when taking reference from Keris books, take it with a pinch of salt. This is due to the fact that there are errors found in these books.

Our fellow collector ganjawulung had given some interesting points to ponder on:

Originally Posted by ganjawulung

What's hanging in my mind everytime I open all pages of "The Keris and Other Malay Weapons" (1998) is, how come? The very small keris -- that the writers called as "keris majapahit" -- took quite a lot of proportions, compared to the whole content of the book. Almost mentioned in every article, and as if it is the center point of comparison with other bigger kerises in that book...

Originally Posted by ganjawulung

Please regard the GC Woolley article, under title "Origin of the Malay Keris". In the second alinea, it said: ..."The surviving specimens of the oldest Majapahit keris -- the Keris Pichit and Keris Majapahit -- seem of all the many patterns of keris the most unlikely to have been evolved from spear blades and the most likely to have been made as talismans rather than for actual use..."

Originally Posted by ganjawulung

Did Mr Woolley was aware, that there were many-many-many more real "keris majapahit" in the Java Courts? And what about Singasari keris, in the period before Majapahit? And did he know, the relief in Borobudur temple (around 9th century) showed (budha) keris in the hips of a human carving?

And what about ancient inscriptions (epigraphies, prasasti) such as prasasti Humanding (797 Saka or 875 CE), Jurungan (798 Saka or 876 CE), Haliwangbang (798 Saka or 876 CE), Taji (823 Saka or 901 CE), Poh (827 Saka or 905 CE), Rukam (829 Saka or 907 CE), Sangsang (829 Saka or 907 CE), Wakajana (829 Saka or 907 CE), and Sanggaran (850 Saka or 928 CE) that mentioned about keris? And not mentioned, many kakawin (old poems) like Kidung Harsa Wijaya or old important books on Singasari and Majapahit in 13th century like Pararaton, and Babad Tanah Jawi?

Originally Posted by ganjawulung

And Mr Gardner wrote especially on "keris pichit and keris majapahit" under title "Notes on Two Uncommon Varieties of the Malay Keris" which referring to Gardner's experience (only heard many stories) and only seen eight keris majapahit and three Pichit altogether....

Originally Posted by ganjawulung

Mr Abu Bakar bin Pawanchee, also wrote a special article under title of "An Unusual Keris Majapahit". The ultra big proportion of writing such small "keris for offering" for "stamping the predicate Majapahit" for such big era or keris making in Java -- that was really astonishing...

Originally Posted by ganjawulung

And what is the result? The image of "keris majapahit" is only "keris sajen". Yes, the connotation of "majapahit" is only "small sajen", "small offering". As if there were no other kerises during that golden era of keris making...

Let's discuss, please.