Majapahit Keris

[A. G. Maisey]

Kai, the term "Keris Buda" has very little to do with Buddhism, it refers to the period:- Javanese people use the term "Buda" to mean the old times, before Islam. In fact, although we talk about Jawa Hindu, the fact is that Agama Jawa Hindu is actually Agama Hindu-Buda.

At Candi Sukuh there are two keris in the famous Sukuh Stele, one on the wall, one on the anvil, both are a Keris Buda form, not Modern Keris. In fact, the forge scene has nothing at all to do with forging, it needs to be understood in the broader context of Sukuh itself.

You mention the "ancestor" of the Keris Buda Kai, and that it is even more common than the KB. I must be missing something here, because although I do have a small collection of KB's, and I have sold others, I have never had the opportunity to purchase the type of early dagger that does not have the gandhik.In fact, I have never seen this style of dagger in Jawa.

Yes, you will not find any representations of what we can call a "Modern Keris" in any Hindu-Buda period bas-reliefs or statuary. None. We can find longer examples of keris-like weapons, and maybe I could be convinced that these belong in the keris basket, but in fact they are more like Balinese ligan or Keris-Pedang.