Kerises in European Museums

[A. G. Maisey]

Following the implosion of Majapahit, the Majapahit craftsmen, including keris makers, moved east into Blambangan and Bali, from Blambangan some of these craftsmen then moved west to Banten.

This is the reason that keris with attributions of Blambangan, Bali, and Banten all bear similarities in their style.

Many years prior to this, when Majapahit was still a powerful political entity there had been an exodus of metal workers and smiths from Pajajaran in Sunda to Majapahit, by the time the smiths moved back to West Jawa again, the art of the keris had already been virtually finished in West Jawa for a lengthy period, but it began again when the craftsmen moved back from Blambangan.

What we see in 17th century keris from West Jawa is not a Sundanese style, but rather the style of Majapahit , which moved from Majapahit into Blambangan, Bali, and West Jawa. Later, this same style resurfaced in the Surakarta keris.


To answer your question as to whether I could guess the age of these keris if I encountered them accidentally.

Very probably not, Jonng. Very probably not.

I have two keris which supposedly came to Holland prior to 1800. There is no documentary evidence to support this, but the man I bought them from could track them through his family, and although I am relying on his story, it was well founded enough to convince me. I am not easy to convince.

In any case, both these keris look as if they came off the workbench last week.

Where a keris has been removed from its place of origin and has been preserved free of rust and ritual washings, it is virtually impossible to estimate its age.