The West Javanese or Sundanese keris - a discussion

[jagabuwana]

Thanks all for your contributions. I have heard about this pande migration hypothesis too - makes sense.

Amuk Murugul, the diagram with Sundanese terms is much appreciated! Did you label this yourself? I am interested to know why the author would use the Dutch / pre reform orthography.

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

In respect of the position of the Pajajaran keris within the Solonese Tangguh Classification System, it is true that it is recognised not as a Javanese keris, but as a Sundanese keris, as such, it falls outside the honour system that sets the foundations of the Tangguh System generally, and this naturally impacts upon the position of Pajajaran keris within the system.

Perhaps Pajajaran is included as a classification within the Tangguh System because of the events of 1351 (?) when Pajajaran refused to give a princess to Hayam Wuruk as tribute and instead wanted her to be accepted as wife. Majapahit forces promptly massacred the Pajajaran company and then Pajajaran became a tributory state under Majapahit for a number of years. Javanese control of Sunda probably was only completely relinquished when Gajah Mada died in the early 1360's.

I must have read your post with half a mind, because I didn't notice this the first time but this is of a lot of interest to me. It makes sense to include a Pajajaran classification in a Javanese tangguh system if it used to be under Javanese control.

I was intrigued by Groneman's referencing of FL Winter's (1871) account of a manuscript which I think he got access to from the Surakarta or Jogja keraton (either of the two, not clear which one) that accounts who commissioned certain keris to be made during their time as king. It probably has very little value as an empirical manuscript given that it starts with mythical figures. But then we get entries such as:

"Prabu Kuda Lalejan of Padjadjaran commissioned is empu Windu Sarpa to forge two keris in about 1170, namely:
31. dapur bradjol, forged from a single piece along with the gandja, with one pedjetan as the only decoration and
32. dapur betoq, a short weapon without sekar katjang or greneng."

I'm not sure where they got the year 1170 or which calendar they were using, but I'm not so interested in the chronological accuracy so much as I am in the idea that certain dhapur's are recognised to have been "invented" under Sundanese auspices. The others are:

- Tilam sari (Prabu Bandjaran Sari, empu Andaja Sangkala)
- Parung sari ("", "")
- Sinom Worawari (Prabu Munding Sari, empu Kandjat)
- Djalaq ngore (Prabu Pamekas, empu Andjani)
- Tjarita kalentang ("", "")
- Dapur Jangkung (Prabu Sijung Wanara, empu Martju Kunda)
- Dapur Pandawa tjarita ("", "").

If a keris classified as Pajajaran is not recognised as Javanese, and therefore outside of the honour system and this affects its value, does the recognition that a keris dhapur was supposedly first commissioned in a non-Javanese kingdom also affect its value or desirability?