Nogo and Singo Origins

David · 21st October 2025, 06:42 PM

I've been searching the archives looking to see if this has been discussed, but have not found a thread yet.
When did the Nogo and Singo forms of keris develop. Did these come about in the Islamic era. I am not sure i have ever seen either of these forms on a keris from the Mojopahit period. If anyone has images of example of Mojo era nogo or singo keris could they please post them. Thanks!

A. G. Maisey · 21st October 2025, 10:35 PM

David, this is not really a keris question, it is a cultural question.

We need to consider Hindu/Buddhist belief systems & symbolism as it relates to the serpent. These imported ideas synthesised with indigenous beliefs relating to earth & water spirits.

Naga : dragon, serpent

Added to this foundation we need to take into account the Chinese influences, even though those Chinese influences are believed to be related to the earlier Hindu ideas.

The singha (singo/a) symbolism is primarily associated with power. It comes from the same Hindu/Buddhist roots as does the naga.

Singa : lion

Throughout SE Asia lions can be found as guardians, & with regal associations. In Jawa we have the pre-Mojopahit example of a realm bearing the name "Singhasari", and members of the ruling class, the k'satriyas, would sometimes include the word "singha" in their formal name. The name "Singhasari" was probably understood as a reference to the place of the ruler.

The root of both naga & singha symbolism is Hindu/Buddhist culture, and entered what is now Indonesia, & other parts of SE Asia from traders & religious leaders & advisors.

Neither the naga nor the singha can be thought of as a part of Islamic culture.

What I have written above is very simplistic and superficial, the subject of the naga & singha symbolism & belief in the context of Jawa/Bali deserves far deeper study than can be covered here.

To understand how this symbolism fits into the study of the keris we need to first understand the deeper cultural & religious associations.

NB.
the variations is spelling of singha/singho/singa/singo & naga/nogo reflects Modern Javanese pronunciation.

David · Yesterday, 02:30 PM

Thanks Alan. I think i might have thrown you off the track of my enquiry by using the word "Origin". I do, of course, realize that the terms "nogo" and 'singo" have their origins in Hindu culture. I am not seeking information of the origins of the words. I am attempting to determine when nogo and singo figures began appearing on keris. Clearly, despite the origins in Hindu culture, these figures appearing with some regularity on Islamic era keris. But i can't recall specifically seeing them all that much on keris that have been identified as Mojopahit. So i am trying to understand the timeframe in which they began tio appear.

A. G. Maisey · Yesterday, 09:49 PM

OK, so if we try to put a date on when these two cultural icons first began to appear on keris, we need to be able to put a date on the keris first, & that is something that is close to impossible, although a "True Believer" will tell us that "Tangguh Mojo" really does mean that the keris was made in the Mojo era. Which it does not. It is an opinion formed on certain stylistic and material factors.

I have seen an abstract naga on a bronze keris buda, but I really cannot put a date on that KB, except to say it was excavated. Old, certainly, but how old?

We can find both naga & singha on Balinese keris, & these most certainly cannot be attributed to Islamic influence.

The two representations have existed for a very long time, and can be found in decorative art & in monumental art, they can be found on very old keris, but how old are those keris?

That is a question that nobody can realistically answer.

21st October 2025, 06:42 PM	#1
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,250	Nogo and Singo Origins I've been searching the archives looking to see if this has been discussed, but have not found a thread yet. When did the Nogo and Singo forms of keris develop. Did these come about in the Islamic era. I am not sure i have ever seen either of these forms on a keris from the Mojopahit period. If anyone has images of example of Mojo era nogo or singo keris could they please post them. Thanks! Last edited by David; 21st October 2025 at 07:59 PM.

21st October 2025, 10:35 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,079	David, this is not really a keris question, it is a cultural question. We need to consider Hindu/Buddhist belief systems & symbolism as it relates to the serpent. These imported ideas synthesised with indigenous beliefs relating to earth & water spirits. Naga : dragon, serpent Added to this foundation we need to take into account the Chinese influences, even though those Chinese influences are believed to be related to the earlier Hindu ideas. The singha (singo/a) symbolism is primarily associated with power. It comes from the same Hindu/Buddhist roots as does the naga. Singa : lion Throughout SE Asia lions can be found as guardians, & with regal associations. In Jawa we have the pre-Mojopahit example of a realm bearing the name "Singhasari", and members of the ruling class, the k'satriyas, would sometimes include the word "singha" in their formal name. The name "Singhasari" was probably understood as a reference to the place of the ruler. The root of both naga & singha symbolism is Hindu/Buddhist culture, and entered what is now Indonesia, & other parts of SE Asia from traders & religious leaders & advisors. Neither the naga nor the singha can be thought of as a part of Islamic culture. What I have written above is very simplistic and superficial, the subject of the naga & singha symbolism & belief in the context of Jawa/Bali deserves far deeper study than can be covered here. To understand how this symbolism fits into the study of the keris we need to first understand the deeper cultural & religious associations. NB. the variations is spelling of singha/singho/singa/singo & naga/nogo reflects Modern Javanese pronunciation.

Yesterday, 02:30 PM	#3
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,250	Thanks Alan. I think i might have thrown you off the track of my enquiry by using the word "Origin". I do, of course, realize that the terms "nogo" and 'singo" have their origins in Hindu culture. I am not seeking information of the origins of the words. I am attempting to determine when nogo and singo figures began appearing on keris. Clearly, despite the origins in Hindu culture, these figures appearing with some regularity on Islamic era keris. But i can't recall specifically seeing them all that much on keris that have been identified as Mojopahit. So i am trying to understand the timeframe in which they began tio appear.

Yesterday, 09:49 PM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,079	OK, so if we try to put a date on when these two cultural icons first began to appear on keris, we need to be able to put a date on the keris first, & that is something that is close to impossible, although a "True Believer" will tell us that "Tangguh Mojo" really does mean that the keris was made in the Mojo era. Which it does not. It is an opinion formed on certain stylistic and material factors. I have seen an abstract naga on a bronze keris buda, but I really cannot put a date on that KB, except to say it was excavated. Old, certainly, but how old? We can find both naga & singha on Balinese keris, & these most certainly cannot be attributed to Islamic influence. The two representations have existed for a very long time, and can be found in decorative art & in monumental art, they can be found on very old keris, but how old are those keris? That is a question that nobody can realistically answer.