Slim Kojuk Mrenges Keris Hilt from Madura

A. G. Maisey · 1st February 2016, 06:12 AM

Actually David, young children did wear keris. There is a reference to this in the Ying Yai Sheng Lan, and I've seen it in other places too. Even now, if a a young boy gets dressed in full formal dress, he will wear a keris sometimes. I think I remember that the age at which they began/begin to wear a keris was/is 6. A six year old Javanese child is quite a bit smaller than a six year old of European stock.

But this does not mean that a small hilt might not have been intended for a woman, or even for a small man.

Jean · 1st February 2016, 09:27 AM

This slim hilt has a normal lenght for a Madurese piece (about 9 cm) and a practical explanation for its small diameter could be that it was made from taring duyung (dugong tusk) which has a quite small size as compared to other local sources of ivory (elephant tusk and spermwhale tooth).

Regards

David · 1st February 2016, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean

This slim hilt has a normal lenght for a Madurese piece (about 9 cm) and a practical explanation for its small diameter could be that it was made from taring duyung (dugong tusk) which has a quite small size as compared to other local sources of ivory (elephant tusk and spermwhale tooth).

Regards

That was my first thought in post #2, that the size of this hilt was most likely determined by the size and shape of the material being used to carve it.
Alan, thanks for the additional info on children with keris. I was aware that this did happen, but always thought it to be a rare occurrence. Certainly not all children as young as 6 carried keris or we would see a lot more patrem size keris i would think. Or would they sometimes wear a full-size keris for formal occasions?

COYOTE · 1st February 2016, 08:20 PM

Thank you David, Maisey and Jean for your concern and precious information.
I am sending other 4 pictures that might help for identification of the material, marine ivory (dugong tusk or whale tusk or other marine animal..) or elephant ivory).
I could not see Schreger lines on the pieces but it may happen because the piece is old and has a very dark patina.
Other 4 pictures are being sent.
Thanks again.
Cheers !!

COYOTE · 1st February 2016, 08:23 PM

4 more pictures for your appreciation.
If you need more precise pictures, please just ask me and I'll send them.
Thanks !!

A. G. Maisey · 1st February 2016, 09:05 PM

David, we cannot think of "Jawa" as a singly homogeneous unity over all time. What we know about the North Coast of Jawa in the first quarter of the 15th century is this:-

"The men have a pu-lak stuck in their girdle, everyone carrying such a weapon from the child of three years up to the oldest man; these daggers have very thin stripes and whitish flowers and are made of the very best steel, the handle is of gold, rhinoceros horn or ivory, cut into the shape of human or devils faces and finished very carefully." (Ying -yai Sheng-lan --1416)

There has been a lot of academic discussion over the word pu-lak, and the consensus of academic opinion is that the weapon referred to is the keris.

What the Chinese visitors were seeing in 1416 was what was happening amongst the people in the trading enclaves and near countryside of the North Coast; they appeared not to gain entry to the kraton, they did not penetrate the interior. In the early 15th century in the area of Jawa that the visitors actually saw, there was a strong middle-eastern influence.

Moving on from the 15th century, and fast forward to the early 19th century, from what we can read of the behaviour and customs of the elite classes of Javanese society at that time, it would appear that children when in formal dress completed that dress with a wangkingan. This seems to have been the case right through into late colonial times, say, the 1930's.

In more recent times, 1970 through to now, I have seen children in full formal dress, and including the wangkingan.

But do these same standards apply for everybody? Of course not. Very often men of the poorer classes do not even own a keris themselves, they rent or borrow one when it is necessary to dress formally.

So when we ask "--- did all children as young as 6 carry keris?---"

we really need to place that question into the frame of time, place and social class. We also need to recognise that we are talking about the keris as wangkingan, not the keris as dhuwung.

In the early 15th century, well, if we can believe Ma Huan, yes children did carry keris, at least on the North Coast of Jawa.

In the period from around 1800 through to 1930 almost certainly some children did, at least when in formal dress.

In the period from 1980 through to right now, very certainly some children did and do, when in formal dress.

1st February 2016, 08:20 PM	#4
COYOTE Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Rio de Janeiro - Brazil Posts: 27	Thank you David, Maisey and Jean for your concern and precious information. I am sending other 4 pictures that might help for identification of the material, marine ivory (dugong tusk or whale tusk or other marine animal..) or elephant ivory). I could not see Schreger lines on the pieces but it may happen because the piece is old and has a very dark patina. Other 4 pictures are being sent. Thanks again. Cheers !! Attached Images

1st February 2016, 08:23 PM	#5
COYOTE Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Rio de Janeiro - Brazil Posts: 27	4 more pictures for your appreciation. If you need more precise pictures, please just ask me and I'll send them. Thanks !! Attached Images

1st February 2016, 06:12 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,989	Actually David, young children did wear keris. There is a reference to this in the Ying Yai Sheng Lan, and I've seen it in other places too. Even now, if a a young boy gets dressed in full formal dress, he will wear a keris sometimes. I think I remember that the age at which they began/begin to wear a keris was/is 6. A six year old Javanese child is quite a bit smaller than a six year old of European stock. But this does not mean that a small hilt might not have been intended for a woman, or even for a small man.

1st February 2016, 09:27 AM	#2
Jean Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,740	This slim hilt has a normal lenght for a Madurese piece (about 9 cm) and a practical explanation for its small diameter could be that it was made from taring duyung (dugong tusk) which has a quite small size as compared to other local sources of ivory (elephant tusk and spermwhale tooth). Regards

1st February 2016, 09:05 PM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,989	David, we cannot think of "Jawa" as a singly homogeneous unity over all time. What we know about the North Coast of Jawa in the first quarter of the 15th century is this:- "The men have a pu-lak stuck in their girdle, everyone carrying such a weapon from the child of three years up to the oldest man; these daggers have very thin stripes and whitish flowers and are made of the very best steel, the handle is of gold, rhinoceros horn or ivory, cut into the shape of human or devils faces and finished very carefully." (Ying -yai Sheng-lan --1416) There has been a lot of academic discussion over the word pu-lak, and the consensus of academic opinion is that the weapon referred to is the keris. What the Chinese visitors were seeing in 1416 was what was happening amongst the people in the trading enclaves and near countryside of the North Coast; they appeared not to gain entry to the kraton, they did not penetrate the interior. In the early 15th century in the area of Jawa that the visitors actually saw, there was a strong middle-eastern influence. Moving on from the 15th century, and fast forward to the early 19th century, from what we can read of the behaviour and customs of the elite classes of Javanese society at that time, it would appear that children when in formal dress completed that dress with a wangkingan. This seems to have been the case right through into late colonial times, say, the 1930's. In more recent times, 1970 through to now, I have seen children in full formal dress, and including the wangkingan. But do these same standards apply for everybody? Of course not. Very often men of the poorer classes do not even own a keris themselves, they rent or borrow one when it is necessary to dress formally. So when we ask "--- did all children as young as 6 carry keris?---" we really need to place that question into the frame of time, place and social class. We also need to recognise that we are talking about the keris as wangkingan, not the keris as dhuwung. In the early 15th century, well, if we can believe Ma Huan, yes children did carry keris, at least on the North Coast of Jawa. In the period from around 1800 through to 1930 almost certainly some children did, at least when in formal dress. In the period from 1980 through to right now, very certainly some children did and do, when in formal dress.