The Sendai Keris

[Gustav]

Here two interesting links, which are an absolute must:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date_Masamune - about the famous daimyo of Sendai, one of the Japans christian daimyos, who sent this ambassy;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasekura_Tsunenaga

About Sendai Keris: it isn't clear, where exactly it was obtained. There are also a hypothesis, it was given to Tsunenaga in Spain (by Spanish king) or in Rome (by pope). Philppines is just another hypothesis.

Clear is, that such a weapon must be given by a very high rang person as a status symbol.

The most interesting thing, besides the keris himself (a magnificient keris with perfect details and early stile kinatah, also a figural hilt) is the sheath, where on atasan a symbol, which seems to be a christian one, is depicted, together with alas-alasan motifs on the gandar.

Somewhat better pictures are to be find in Jensen's Krisdisk.