Keris info
 

Dear all,

i would like firstly to congratulate you all for the very good site you have here. I 've seen a lot of people here with much knowledge in keris and because i recently have one, i would like your help with its characteristics (pamor-dapour etc.). If it is possible to help me with its age and the pamor spiritual power i'll owe you.

Best regards,
Themis

I think the information of your keris is :
Dapur : Kidang Soka with ganja wilut
Pamor : Wos wutah
Tangguh : I don't sure which era of your keris because not on hold. But in my opinion is 75% old keris.

If my opinion is mistake, please another members correct me.

Thank you for your opinion Satria.
I was told that it is early 14th centrury (early Majabahit) and with pamor for protection.

BR,
Themis

If somebody has another opinion please feel free to write it. Even if you have the same one.

Themis

Does anybody know what kind is pamor Tundhung Musuh?
Does anybody have pictures with a keris with this pamor?

BR,
Themis

Agreed with Satria,

Just to add a little. ;)
Looks like a Surakarta blade with kembang kacang Nguku Bima.
Heavy wear on the 'dada', between luk 1 to 3, 3 to 5, 5 to 7 and 7 to 9.
Wear might be due to rust-removal and etching, over the years.

The ukiran (hilt) is of gaya Surakarta wanda Yudawinatan.

Tundung Mungsuh is a pamor pattern found on the 'ganja' area.
It looks like a sideways 'V'-shaped formation.
The point of the 'V'-shape is pointed toward the 'sirah cecak' area.
This pamor pattern is deemed suitable for those who are warriors.
The meaning of Tundung mungsuh in Javanese is literary 'to oust the enemy'.

BTW, this keris does not have pamor Tundung Mungsuh.:)

I thank you all for the valuable info. I am obliged to you.
Themis

hai Alamshah
i believe this kind of material is much older than surakarta era. even the curve of the blade is more majapahit era than mataram , the mataram era keris curve is much deeper than majapahit , so i think i'm agree is this is a majapahit era keris.
thanks.

Dear all,

i appreciate your help concerning my keris info. My initial on coming info is that it is majabahit or early majabahit and it has pamor tiban, difficult to be easily identified, but with ganja traces of pamor Tundhung Musuh. It means to push away (and spiritually is for protection).
Please take a look at it again and write whatever you believe it could help more. I already thank Alam Shah and Satria and Sepang for their help.

Really, Sepang for pamor and rest do you agree with the rest ones?

Themis

Hi Sepang,
In terms of defining the tangguh, I would not know the difference between a majapahit era and a mataram era piece. If you know, kindly enlighthen us.
Thanks. :)

Dear all,

i keep seeing the keris and other kerises with wos wutah pamor in this site and i find many differencies in patterns. Can anybody enlighten me about it?
For example the Javanese keris of Lei Shan Dao is quite different that the one i post here...

Sorry for my ignorance...
Themis

to define tangguh keris , we need to know the material of the blade , what kind of iron, pamor works, peksi , and luk style

the luk of this keris isn't surakarta style , ..surakata style luk is much more wavy.

and the iron of this keris is more black ... , and the iron of surakarta keris is more grey.....

and the most important is ...most of the surakarta keris has tungkaan ..at the end of the ganja.


and this keris has kuku bima style kembang kacang. none of the surakarta keris is nggelung wayang.( curve )

in my opinion , this keris is made abt .. end of majapahit era , or early mataram , senopaten

Wos Wutah is the most common pamor pattern in Javanese keris and tombak. In Javanese, it literally means "scattered rice".

Just imagine if you throw rice on the floor. There will always be variations.
Likewise with keris pamor. Within this pamor formation, sometimes there are other 'hidden' patterns. ;)

Hope this makes it clearer. :D

Dear Sepang,

My mistake... :o thanks for the update. :)

Hai dear all,

Trully so hard for me to give my opinion at this forum because my english not too good. But I'll trying to write it,

Here I posted my keris which I think can represent of each Tangguh (estimated period).

1. Keris Majapahit (13th-early 16th century)
2. Keris Mataram Senopaten (16th century)
3. Keris Mataram Sultan Agung (early period) (17th century)
4. Keris Mataram Sultan Agung (end period / Tundung Madiun) (late 17th century)
5. Keris Pengging (18th century)
6. Keris Mataram Surokarto (18th - 19th century)

Indeed that to know the Tangguh of keris is very difficult. We should often hold and see by our self of the keris. Also we can do considering of some keris. We can see that each keris has a different characteristics that can be used to estimated about the tangguh.

Perhaps my opinion can make some confused :confused: , but I hope it can be used for discussion in this threads and know more about the Keris, specificaly the Javanese Keris.

Regards,
Mans.

Dear Mans,

welcome to this keris talk. Which is your opinion for the pamor - dapour and rest of characteristics of the keris and which might be its spiritual power (related to the characteristics of course).

Best regards,

Themis

Indeed that the keris, specially the old keris has a spiritual power. But not all of keris. To know about the spiritual power, we should hold the keris, feel the energy and vibration of it, not just from pictures. Some people said that they can know about the energy of the keris from pictures. But I didn't think so, because the pictures bring no anything the energy of the object, can edited and can be not same with the object.

The Pamor is Wos Wutah (Strewn Rice), probably a name known to all those interested in keris. Not only for its beauty and good qualities, like another pamor, but also because of its great variety in motifs, which can easily confuse the name Beras (Wos) Wutah, when in doubt. Sometimes we can confused with pamor Pedharingan Kebak (fully of the blade) or Kulit Semongko (watermelon skin).
The Dapur called Kidang Soka.

I hope useful.
Mans.

Hi Mans,

Thank you for the visual examples. It is useful to see it in pictures. :)

hi alamsyah ,

why did you retract your opinion ? do you still think that it's a surakarta keris ?

hi mans , thanks for the samples ....

so it could be made between majapahit - early mataram era... isn't it ?

Hi Sepang,
After re-reading the comments, I found that you thought I was refering to tangguh Surakarta but what I was refering to is actually made in Surakarta area. Therefore, my comments would not be relevant. :o

In the first place, I did mentioned that I would not know the difference between a majapahit era and a mataram era piece.

It is a good learning experience. Thank you for your responses. :D

Great post, Mans. Thanks for the examples. Can you offer any opinion on the iron used in your examples as well as general info on the iron used in the different periods?

Hi AlamShah & Bill,
I supposed that Themis keris made from Early Mataram Period.
Generally Majapahit keris has a slightly blade and longer gonjo called Sebit Ron Tal which has oval form at front of gonjo (Jawa = Sirah Cecak). The iron has smooth vibrous. And the other side, Keris from early Mataram period (Mataram Senopaten) also taking some characteristic of Majapahit keris, like Luk, slighty gonjo, but the iron made not too good as Majapahit keris. Commonly, Keris from early Mataram period used the full pamor pattern on the blade in order to hidding the ironwork.

But, keris from Mataram Sultan Agungan period, has the good ironwork as Majapahit period. It can be happen because at Sultan Agung period, the keris cultures was grow up. Keris from early Mataram Sultan Agungan period has characteristic as Mataram Senopaten, but the ironwork more better. It has smooth iron. Many keris was made at this period by many mPu (about 700 mPu from Kraton and the leader is mPu Supo Anom / Ki Nom). And the tehcnique of pamor and work more complicated.

End of Mataram Sultan Agungan period, the keris looks more handsome and stronger. This shape continued by mPu from Mataram Amangkurat and Surokarto period, but the blade more wider and stronger look.

Indeed that to know the tangguh (estimated period) of the keris, specially Javanese keris is too complicated, because there are too many kingdoms. Each of kingdoms bring the different characteristic on ironwork, row material, pamor and style (Jawa = Pasikutan). So that why many discussion about the Javanese keris, specifically of Tangguh was never ending. And often ending by misunderstanding.

I hope the different opinion about the keris can showing that the keris cultures has deep senses. And realy sorry if my opinion not to clear.

Best regards,
Mans.

Hi Mans,
Thanks for the explanation. You've answered some of my doubts regarding majapahit and mataram era differences. As the differences are subtle, understanding of the different materials would aid to differentiate the tangguh. However an absolute answer would be difficult to derive. Therefore with only pictures, the best answer that can be achieved would be an estimated guesswork, right? ;)

Absolutely right, Alam. Thank you.. but I always waiting for your advice at my album ;)

Is there any similar information on the straight keris blade?
 

Having just discovered this forum and thread, my thanks go to Mans and all of you for a very interesting discussion.

Can anyone, Mans perhaps? post similar guidance on the style of straight keris blades. I have one from Madura and one (supposedly) from Java, that I would like to learn more about.

Thank you for any information.

Hi Jubilado,

I think, conditions of the Keris from Madura usually more rough and heavy than the Javanese keris. The iron fibrous more clear and some iron came with many spot. Many keris from Pesisir (coastal) area usually more rough than the other. The pamor pattern of Maduranese keris more bright and coarse. The culture of Maduranese often showing their luxuries or profusion. Same as with the keris which came from there. Strong and the pamor more bright and fully on the blade. Also many pamor demostrated the high skill of the smith.
Trully, many keris with vertical technique of the pamor work came from madura.

The Javanese keris more slightly built. The iron more smooth and the iron fibrous more soft. Especially the keris from old era like Majapahit and Sedayu (about 13-15th century) and the keris from Mataram Sultan Agung period (about 17th century).

But, any keris from Madura which nearly same with Javanese Keris. Usually the keris like this came from Kraton (palace area). See the pictures #5 & 6. This is the Maduranese keris which has the characteristics as Javanese keris. But, we still can distinguishing it by the kind of pamor pattern. The pamor called Dadung Muntir and just Maduranese smith who often created the pamor like this in good conditions.

I think more detail if you see the pictures, because very difficult to me to explain it without example ;) Also you can see more pictures at my website (http://keris.fotopic.net). I hope useful.

Detail :
#1-2 = Keris from Madura Cakraningrat on Mataram Era (estimated made about 18th century). The pamor more smooth but the Pasikutan (characteristics) still shown the Maduranese keris.
#3-4 = Keris from Pamekasan Madura. The kingdom which vassal state of Sumenep kingdom (estimated made about 17th century).
#5-6 = Keris from Sumenep Madura which has character as Javanese keris. but the pamor shown as the Maduranese keris.
#7-8 = Javanese Keris from Majapahit Era (estimated about 15th century). The iron is very smoot. Demostrated the very high skill on ironworking.
#9-10 = Javanese keris from Mataram period (estimated made about 18th century). Demostrated the difficult pamorwork and good forging.

Hi Mans
a very useful series of posts for a novice. I have uploaded some pictures of my first Keris purchase, described as late Mataram, from Central Jawa. It is a lovely piece to handle, both delicate and strong...strange combination of words I know but the best description I have.

Nice piece...
 

Hi drdavid,

Congratulation on your first keris. A fine piece, indeed. I was contemplating to get this piece but now it already have a new owner. :) Soon your collection will start to grow...

This piece looks elegant with its 'simplisitic' nature. The wrongko is extra nice and stronger with the entire sheath carved from a single piece of wood.

The blade is a beautiful old piece which fits harmoniously together. ;)