Kocet-Kocetan hilt form

[Alam Shah]

Thanks all for the inputs...
mick, fearn... the observation and scientific viewpoints are highly appreciated, thanks.

Ki Jayamalelo... the picture provided the answer to why 4 or 6 legs.

Marco, Michael, Michel, tunggulametung... thanks for your references from the hilt prespective and symbolism.

So to recap...

What is the kocet-kocetan hilt?
It's a Balinese hilt form that was inspired by the beetle, (Batara Karpa).

Where does it originate from?
It's originated from Bali and specifically used there.

When the name:"kocetkocetan" rise for the first time?
in W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp; First European Artist in BALI (1997):52
The picture itself is from 1907

in Jasper & Pirngadie's classic book De inlandsche kunstnijverheid in Nederlandsch Indie from 1912 is "kotjèt-kotjèttan" mentioned (fig. 325).

What are its meaning and symbolism behind this hilt form?
The pupa, pupa-like position or yoga/meditation symbolizes fertility, eternity, immortality... (?) ... unsure about this one...

Another question: Why a beetle?

[Raden Usman Djogja]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

Another question: Why a beetle?

in some believes, even in some religions, BEETLE, BEE and ANT are great animals.

[Marcokeris]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

Thanks all for the inputs...
mick, fearn... the observation and scientific viewpoints are highly appreciated, thanks.

Ki Jayamalelo... the picture provided the answer to why 4 or 6 legs.

Marco, Michael, Michel, tunggulametung... thanks for your references from the hilt prespective and symbolism.

So to recap...

What is the kocet-kocetan hilt?
It's a Balinese hilt form that was inspired by the beetle, (Batara Karpa).

Where does it originate from?
It's originated from Bali and specifically used there.

When the name:"kocetkocetan" rise for the first time?
in W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp; First European Artist in BALI (1997):52
The picture itself is from 1907

in Jasper & Pirngadie's classic book De inlandsche kunstnijverheid in Nederlandsch Indie from 1912 is "kotjèt-kotjèttan" mentioned (fig. 325).

What are its meaning and symbolism behind this hilt form?
The pupa, pupa-like position or yoga/meditation symbolizes fertility, eternity, immortality... (?) ... unsure about this one...

Another question: Why a beetle?

In Bali's temples i have always seen a lot of Gods' pictures / statues but never a beetle
...maybe istead of to be distracted by local beauty i had to observe better

[Rick]

I remember Mel Brooks the actor ; he had a character known as the 2,000 year old man . The fellow had the answers to all our questions about the past (his answers were humorus of course) .

Now wouldn't it be wonderful if we could find the 2,000 year old Balinese man .

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

In Bali's temples i have always seen a lot of Gods' pictures / statues but never a beetle
...maybe istead of to be distracted by local beauty i had to observe better

This is what I found today at Sentosa (resort island) in Singapore.

[Marcokeris]

Great Alam!!

[tunggulametung]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

What is the kocet-kocetan hilt?
It's a Balinese hilt form that was inspired by the beetle, (Batara Karpa).

What are its meaning and symbolism behind this hilt form?
The pupa, pupa-like position or yoga/meditation symbolizes fertility, eternity, immortality... (?) ... unsure about this one...

Another question: Why a beetle?

Hi Alam,

I just want to pass some additional info that I got from a friend (I hope I translate the message correctly):

'Kocet' in certain Balinese region and also in Sasak (Lombok) means 'small'. In another Balinese area, it refer to a sound of a dry hinge. This explain that kocetkocetan bug also having the ability to made similar noise.

In Lombok version, kocetkocetan hilt derived/inspired by the a water bug called 'kenciut' that usually live in rice field. People of these area regard the bug as symbol of prosperity (for the farmers); as it possibly means that the land is fertile, etc - maybe Fearn can confirm this. That is the reason that mostly kocet2an appear in glamourous fashion, to show prosperity.

Thanks!

[fearn]

Hi Tunggulametung,

Interesting idea, and I'll look into it. In general, water bugs are predators (as are dragonflies), and their natural prey would be other insects and snails that eat the rice crop. In that sense, a good population of water bugs in a rice field could be good luck for the farmer.

F

[Alam Shah]

Interesting... thanks tunggulametung and fearn...

[Michel]

Page 118 of the new book : The Kris, a passion from Indonesia from Jean Greffioz, gives the following explanation:
The kocet-kocetan style hilt(called kusia in Lombok) were traditionnaly used by priests and religious leaders, and matched with serengatan or sampiran type krisses. The symbolism of these hilts is mysterious and in spite of its appearance, the stylized animal figured on the hilt is not a horse but would represent a beetle. However, some authors are interprating the horse head as a reminiscence of kuda panoleh from Madura, which make senseas the 2 cultures developed simultaneously from Majapahit era.

[Alam Shah]

Hi all,

Looking into Ensiklopedi Keris (see picture attached, from pg. 250). For some hilts, the head does look like a horse. The texts explained that it's a horse head.
Based on examples posted here, there seems to be those that looks like horse head and some that's clear cut a bug-like head.

Could there a hilt transformation, from the bug-like head into into a horse head?
Or could it be, the case where later craftsman, carved hilts without knowledge of the symbolism attached?
Or is there two hilt forms with different head type, a bug and a horse?

Btw, there is a famous keris with a kocet-kocetan hilt, Keris Ki Puspa Wijaya. (see Pusaka Keris, Vol 07-08/2007, pg.61).

[Alam Shah]

Here's another kocet-kocetan hilt from Zonneveld's, Traditional weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago, Pg. 67. The head is also horse-like.

[milandro]

This is my Kocet Kocetan , made of black kerbau horn

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

Thanks all for the inputs...
mick, fearn... the observation and scientific viewpoints are highly appreciated, thanks.

Ki Jayamalelo... the picture provided the answer to why 4 or 6 legs.

Marco, Michael, Michel, tunggulametung... thanks for your references from the hilt prespective and symbolism.

So to recap...

What is the kocet-kocetan hilt?
It's a Balinese hilt form that was inspired by the beetle, (Batara Karpa).

Where does it originate from?
It's originated from Bali and specifically used there.

When the name:"kocetkocetan" rise for the first time?
in W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp; First European Artist in BALI (1997):52
The picture itself is from 1907

in Jasper & Pirngadie's classic book De inlandsche kunstnijverheid in Nederlandsch Indie from 1912 is "kotjèt-kotjèttan" mentioned (fig. 325).

What are its meaning and symbolism behind this hilt form?
The pupa, pupa-like position or yoga/meditation symbolizes fertility, eternity, immortality... (?) ... unsure about this one...

Another question: Why a beetle?

.

[drdavid]

Just to put in another bit of information, Karsten Sejr Jensen in his Kris disc (chapter 7 pge 10) mentions this about the Kocet-Kocetan hilt form

A very special hilt is the so called Kocet-Kocetan hilt, which represents the capricorn beetle or mantis religiosa. Martin Kerner thinks that this particular beetle was the totem animal of the Brahmans. According to mythology the beetle is said to be their ancestor for which reason it is reserved them alone to wear krisses with this hilt19. It is possible that this is the case, but the hilt is mainly found in South Bali, so it is more likely that it is connected with the principalities there, being their special hilt

I dont think it is a praying mantis (mantis religiosa) but the Capricorn beetles are members of the cerambycidae family that Fearn mentioned
David