Old Moro kris blade with Spanish(?) hilt

Ian · 30th August 2024, 08:08 PM

I have had this old kris for more than 20 years and may have posted it before on the defunct Vikingsword UBB forum. It is certainly incomplete and much corroded or damaged in the past. Nevertheless, there are a few things to note and a curious date(?) that is an enigma.

With regard to the blade, it has a uniformly dark oxidized appearance, and it is clearly missing its gangya. Perhaps it was discarded by its most recent owner or lost. Apart from a rough outline of the secar kacang/ghandik area, file work is missing from the base of the blade. There is a suggestion of old grooves at the base of the blade, possibly relating to sogokan, but nothing that is clear enough to say what was there originally.

There are five waves along the blade (luk 7 by current keris convention). The blade does taper in width from hilt to tip.

An inscription chiseled into the base of the blade reads 1 3 (?) 2. I cannot make out the third character. The inscription appears to have been part of the blade for a long time. If this is a Gregorian date, then it is too early for the Spanish colonial period, and predates known European contact.

The hilt is wood that had been painted gold at some time.

I have shown it next to an old Moro kris that may predate 1800. The latter was exhibited in the History of Steel exhibition at the Macau Museum in the early 2000s.

A mystery piece. Thoughts and comments most welcome.
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Battara · 2nd September 2024, 04:58 AM

I remember this from he old forum.

The blade looks very corroded and worn to me and perhaps this is reason the ganga is missing the definition and only a suggestion of fret work remains.

30th August 2024, 08:08 PM	#1
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,198	Old Moro kris blade with Spanish(?) hilt I have had this old kris for more than 20 years and may have posted it before on the defunct Vikingsword UBB forum. It is certainly incomplete and much corroded or damaged in the past. Nevertheless, there are a few things to note and a curious date(?) that is an enigma. With regard to the blade, it has a uniformly dark oxidized appearance, and it is clearly missing its gangya. Perhaps it was discarded by its most recent owner or lost. Apart from a rough outline of the secar kacang/ghandik area, file work is missing from the base of the blade. There is a suggestion of old grooves at the base of the blade, possibly relating to sogokan, but nothing that is clear enough to say what was there originally. There are five waves along the blade (luk 7 by current keris convention). The blade does taper in width from hilt to tip. An inscription chiseled into the base of the blade reads 1 3 (?) 2. I cannot make out the third character. The inscription appears to have been part of the blade for a long time. If this is a Gregorian date, then it is too early for the Spanish colonial period, and predates known European contact. The hilt is wood that had been painted gold at some time. I have shown it next to an old Moro kris that may predate 1800. The latter was exhibited in the History of Steel exhibition at the Macau Museum in the early 2000s. A mystery piece. Thoughts and comments most welcome. . Attached Images Last edited by Ian; 30th August 2024 at 08:56 PM.

2nd September 2024, 04:58 AM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	I remember this from he old forum. The blade looks very corroded and worn to me and perhaps this is reason the ganga is missing the definition and only a suggestion of fret work remains.