What is the relationship between a keris and its hilt in the ancient culture?

[Neo]

Hi Guys,

I have been curious with early keris hilts that take the shape of dvarapalas and other person-like figures. Chinese record indicates that the early kerises are mostly dressed in "demon-shaped hilts", right? Karsten Jensen's e-book seems to confirm this.

What is the original intention of such designs? I just read the previous thread in which Mr. Maisey explained that such kerises with fearsome looking hilts meant protection. It makes sense as in most of Asia, ferocious images are frequently used to repel evil spirits. However, I am particularly interested in the cultural reasoning that explains the relationship between a keris and its hilt. What does the ancient hilt design have to do with the "personality" of a keris? Can we say it is one of the following?

1. The keris hilt indicates the type of spirit that dwells in the blade. So the hilt is pretty much the "representative portrait" of the spirit of the blade. Interesting possibility, but IMHO it doesn't nicely explain the case of Bali keris hilts with deity shapes like Wishnu and Ganesha - it's hard to imagine that the ancient culture believes that the actual deity resides in a single blade. (I assume that the Balinese school of thought does not deviate significantly from the Majapahit's.)

2. The keris hilt is just an expression of the wish of how the power of the keris is to be governed. So a keris with raksasha or Vishnu hilt does not necessarily mean that the said personalities are expected to reside in the blade. Instead, the hilt just expresses the wish of that the spirit of the keris will follow a set of conducts or behavior encouraged by the personality manifested in the hilt.

Or perhaps there is another theory or explanation out there? Even if we do not have hard data on the subject, I would really appreciate personal opinions from my senior colleagues in this forum (I have only been collecting keris for less than two years)

[David]

Interesting questions Neo. I have no conclusive evidence on this subject either, though in spite of the use of the word hulu (head) to describe the keris hilt i am not so sure that the character of the hilt rules or directs the attributes of the blade so directly.
The hilt is the public face of the keris though. When a keris was worn in public the blades were not made visible to others on most occasions. I fearsome face on a hilt was most probably meant to keep negative forces away from the keris and it's owner, not a reflection of the nature of that particular keris.

[Neo]

Hey, that's one possibility I didn't look at, thanks It would make sense if the "public face" has nothing to do with the "esoteric face". However, I still have a hard time imagining the a Tuban-Majapahit tilam upih keris with udan mas pamor, having a slender build, and radiating a dainty aura (or pasikutan demes), back in its time it was being dressed wearing a fearsome raksasha hilt. It's kind of like eating rye bread with guacamole sauce and bumbu pecel


Perhaps I am conditioned to today's norms in which such blades would be nicely dressed in ukiran Yudawinatan and warangka Ladrang, thereby supporting the overall dainty theme. However, the above arrangement is definitely post-Islamic. While my sartorial taste totally favors the more recent keris fashion style, I am still yet to find an explanation regarding the relationship between a keris and its ukiran during the sepuh era.

[David]

Originally Posted by Neo

However, I still have a hard time imagining the a Tuban-Majapahit tilam upih keris with udan mas pamor, having a slender build, and radiating a dainty aura (or pasikutan demes), back in its time it was being dressed wearing a fearsome raksasha hilt. It's kind of like eating rye bread with guacamole sauce and bumbu pecel

hmmm....i must say that i have never considered dhapur tilam upih to be particularly dainty...

[Neo]

OK, pick a dapur that you consider dainty or pasikutan demes ... do you think that in the past they would dress that in raksasha hilt? I have totally no idea, my perceptions are far from concrete at the moment ...

By the way, do they always use raksasha themes in the sepuh (Majapahit and older) era? What are the other popular themes back then?

[David]

Originally Posted by Neo

By the way, do they always use raksasha themes in the sepuh (Majapahit and older) era? What are the other popular themes back then?

Should i assume that since you mention Majapahit that you are asking specifically about Javanese keris?
The best way to determine this would be to view keris that were collected very early on (see collections in Dutch museums), though don't think you will find any that were collected quite that early.

[PenangsangII]

the rasaksa hilt may symbolize the purpose and the strength of the blade IMHO, and not a representation of "what or who" is in the blade. However, the pamor, the perabut and dhapur may also serve the above as well.....

[Neo]

Yes, Javanese kerises. Does the Dutch museum have pictures online? Will appreciate the URLs. Thanks!!

[Neo]

Thanks, Penangsang II. By the way, are raksashas and deities always the theme for Hindu-JAVANESE kerises from sepuh era? Weren't there floral or simpler, non-figure designs similar to Balinese bebondolan or Javanese Yudawinatan in the past?

[David]

Neo, you can look at some old collections here, but they don't show everything and the collecting dates only seem to go back as far as 1700 or so.
http://collectie.tropenmuseum.nl/nBa...=&culturenode=

[A. G. Maisey]

Neo, you have specified a particular period in your question, and for this period it is probable that no answer can be given that could be supported.

The history of the keris extends over a period greater than 1000 years.

Even if we limit our enquiries to early Jawa/Bali a number of possible answers can apply.

For instance, in the Sang Hyang Siksakandang Karesian manuscript from 16th century Sunda weapons are categorised according to whether one is a noble, a farmer, or a priest. Only the nobles had kerises, and the dewa that applied to a nobles weapon was a raksasa, because these weapons were used to kill; a farmers weapons dewa was Detya because the farmer provided sustenance; a priests weapons dewa was Danawa.

At other times and in other places the relationship between the hilt and the blade can differ.

When we consider a later period, and we look at , say, Ganesha as a hilt figure, that does not mean that Ganesha is actually in the hilt, nor in the blade. In Bali-Hindu thought a figure of a dewa is only a recepticle for the dewa to occupy if the dewa is called and chooses to come. In fact, the place for the dewa to occupy need not necessarily be in the form of the dewa, the form given is only to help the human mind concentrate on that entity. When the mind is sufficiently advanced, no figure nor point of reference is required.

My earlier post indicating a protective function is probably accurate, but only in one context.

Many possibilities, very few certainties.

[Neo]

David: Thanks!!! I enjoy looking at the collections.

Mr. Maisey: That's pretty much the answer I needed, thanks. The reason behind my question is because I have some kerises that are likely to be from sepuh era - one probably from Jenggala and another from Majapahit. The warangka and hilts on these items are either mediocre or worn down, and I would like to make new ones someday.

My personal preference is to make a new set of warangka and hilt that are as close as possible to the norms of the era from which the blades were made.

From your answer, I suppose there are not much grammar and syntax I can strictly adhere to in choosing the right style. Perhaps someday I could just post the pictures of my blade here and have other forumites suggest some suitable themes

[Gustav]

Regarding the term dewa, M.Covarrubias writes in "Island of Bali":

"When a Balinese speaks of his gods, collectively called dewas, he does not mean the great divinities of Hinduism, but refers to an endless variety of protective spirits - sanghyang, pitara, kawitan, all of whom are in some way connected with the idea of ancestry. The rather vague term dewa includes not only the immediate ancestors worshipped in the family temple, or the nameless forefathers, founders of his community, to whom the village temples are dedicated, but also certain Hindu characters of his liking whom he has adopted into the Balinese race and has come to regard also as his ancestors. Rama, for instance, the hero of the Ramayana, is Wisnu reincarnated into a brave prince who came to earth to save the world. In a later crisis the god oncemore took human form and came to Bali to put things in order (as Gadja Mada, according to Friederich), becoming the ancestor of the present Balinese."

Jasper and Mas Pirngadie about balinese hilts (page 230):

"De gouden en ivoren krisheften van de vier hierboven aangegeven vormen (togogan, gerantim, kocet-kocetan and djaglir) mochten vroeger alleen gedragen worden door de menschen, die tot de triwangsa (een der 3 kasten) behoorden. Tegenwoordig stoort men zich niet meer aan dat gebruik en ziet men gouden krisheften ook door rijke Soedra's dragen.

Dezen mochten vroeger alleen houten krisheften dragen, die er ongeveer uitzien als de eenvoudigste Javaansche krisheften, maar dikker en korter zijn. Zij heeten bebondollan (gewone form) of tjekahan (met symmetrisch horizontaal ingesneden gleuven). Soms hebben zij de form van een ietwat gebogen cylinder, die, om het vasthouden te vergemakkelijken, met een dikken idjoek-draad omwonden wordt."

And Margaret Wiener (page 68):

"It is the blade that bears a keris's name and personality, that is the receptable for the spiritual forces inhabiting the weapon. In fact, since hilts are detachable, in precolonial Bali different hilts might be worn by a blade on different occasions, for example, at audiences or in battle. But if not the source of keris's potency, both sheath and hilt may enchance its capacities and value. Indeed, both hilts (danganan or ulu, "head") and sheaths (sarung) of keris belonging to rulers were frequently embellished in ways that imaged or added to the qualities of the blade to which they ordinarily belonged.

Many royal keris, for example, had golden statuettes for hilts, in the form of such figures as the god Kala or raksasa (ogres). According to the Kidung Pamancangah (Berg 1929), the hilts of three of Klungkung's most famous regalia were in the shape of the god Bayu, god of wind and breath, or more generally force or energy. This was, of course, extremely relevant to the way these objects served as instruments of power, for as Ida Bagus Jagri noted bayu is what enables a person to achieve his goals.

The navels (center of the life force) and sometimes foreheads (location of the invisible "third eye" that sees what is niskala) of these statuettes were set with mirah, precious and semiprecious translucent stones cut into cabochons, as was a golden ring set just below the hilt. In a particulary fine keris these stones would be carefully chosen for their abilities to supplement the powers of the blade itself (such gems also adorn the bawa, or crowns, Brahmana priests wear to perform major rituals, and they are worn in rings by people of all ranks). Diamonds, for example, are "poison" and so counteract the poison of an enemy."

I suppose, a hilt incarnate a certain spiritual aspect, which the person wearing it needs, and a very important aspect for people from ruling families was the demonic aspect, demonic power. The most keris from oldest european collections, which in most cases also are high-end keris, have raksasa hilts.

[tunggulametung]

Originally Posted by Neo

...The reason behind my question is because I have some kerises that are likely to be from sepuh era - one probably from Jenggala and another from Majapahit.....

Hello Neo, if I understand correctly, you have the reason to believe that your keris are coming from Jenggala and Majapahit, that is to say estimated 11-12 and 13-16 century keris. If I may learn from you, what indicate this please?

[Neo]

Gustav:That excerpt from Margaret Wiener is really helpful. Thanks. As for the Jasper and Mas Pirngadie, could you kindly translate that part into English? I only managed to guess about 20% of the meaning from the similarity of the sounds

TunggulAmetung:
Oops, I am a newbie so I dare not say you would learn from me, plus being a newbie means I am prone to making mistakes. I haven't got time to take picture of the kerises, so this is all I can say. There is one that I'm not sure if it was a Majapahit or a Mataram, (from my skill level, it is hard to tell the difference). The dealer who sold it to me said the iron grains look more like Majapahit because it has longer and more visible grains. As for the Jenggala one, I am very likely to be wrong as well. The gandik looks like "bemo", almost like a Segaluh, but the greneng part was very short and simple.

Someday I will post the images. Till then, thanks for your interest

[Gustav]

There is a translation of Jasper/Mas Pirngadie, please excuse for the quality, I am reading Dutch with difficulties.

"The golden and ivory keris hilts of the four above forms (togogan, gerantim, kocet-kocetan and djaglir) were previously weared only by people belonging to the triwangsa (one of 3 castes). Today (between 1920 and 1930) there are no longer worries about that regulation and one sees golden keris hilts weared also by rich Soedra's.

They were previously alloved to wear only wooden keris hilts, which are looking like some of the simplest Javanese keris hilts, but are thicker and shorter. They are called bebondollan (ordinary form) or tjekahan (with symmetrical horizontal incised slots). Sometimes, they have the form of a slightly curved cylinder, which, in order to make it easier to maintain, is wrapped with a thick idjoek-wire. "

Regarding further rank distinctions in Bali (from M.Wiener, page 66):

"Keris also marked distinctions of rank: high status men nyungklit their keris, wore them on their backs, hilts peeking over their shoulders; others nyelet their keris, wore them at their waists."

This explains, why the Balinese farmer from Jensens book, page 211, is carrying his two kerisses at the waist.

[Neo]

Many thanks for the translation, Gustav. So that's the explanation behind bebondolan and other Bali types. This thread has provided me with very rich info. I will get Neka's newest book the next time I go there

[A. G. Maisey]

Neo, the best representations of old keris dress that I know of are in the relief carvings at Panataran and Sukuh.

I think that if you search the photos of these reliefs on my site, you will probably find the pics.

The Panataran one is the carving of a keris fight and you can clearly see a scabbard of Bugis style in the waist band.

The Sukuh pic shows a ladrangan of approximately East Javanese style, again in a waist band.

However --- don't get too carried away with what you might have been told about the age of what you have. A lot of people in the keris world have very active imaginations.

Apart from what I have already said about hilts, it would be of use for anybody who wishes to understand the place of weapon hilts in SE Asian cultures, not only Jawa/Bali, to read widely on some of the less developed cultures in the region.Its all out there, but it does require a bit more than a quick google to get the answers.

[Neo]

Bugis style scabbard in Candi Penataran ... Hmmm, that's a surprise. Thanks for the info. I will do my research.

[PenangsangII]

Originally Posted by Neo

Bugis style scabbard in Candi Penataran ... Hmmm, that's a surprise. Thanks for the info. I will do my research.

its not a surprise at all.

The classic keris scabbard during kediri, Singhasari and majapahit was known to be similar to that of old Cirebon, Sumatra malay (Palembang) and Bugis scabbards today.

Historically also, during pamalayu expedition to set up buffer zone bases in anticipation of the Monggol attack to Jawa, King Kertanegara of Singhasari enlisted makasarese/Buginese who were known to be sea-faring people

[Neo]

Penangsang II: You just made me dig again to Karsten Jensen's book. Indeed Bugis hilts have some similarities with Cirebon's, and in one example it actually came from Cirebon. Thanks.