The Keris of Majapahit

A. G. Maisey · 9th September 2015, 12:25 AM

Jean, this matter of keris history and development is not only difficult, I tend to believe that it is something that is not of much interest to most collectors.

You are correct in that a very large number of academics have studied Javanese & Balinese culture and society for a very long time, however, it appears to me that when these scholars do address the keris, it is addressed in terms that apply to present day attitudes, they seem never to attempt to investigate origins, development, history of the keris. So yes, we are left with a lot of unanswered questions.

I have firmly believed for a long time that the only way we can get close to some sort of understanding of the development of the Javanese/Balinese keris is to look very closely at the history and society of the developmental era. I believe that we can be fairly confident in fixing this developmental era to the period prior to the cessation of major migration to Bali from Jawa (+/- 1512), and after the foundation of the Kingdom of Majapahit (+/- 1293).

Within this period of time art works and monumental works were produced on a fairly prolific scale. Often we find depictions of weapons that contain sufficient identifiable characteristics to place them as keris, or what we now recognise as keris. However, this production of art was not consistent throughout the entire period.

Can we find any depictions, anywhere within this vast body of work, of weapons that look anything like the large, artistic keris that you have posted a picture of in post # 16? In fact, I cannot recall finding a weapon with a waved blade in the art works of this period.

Why?

So. now I would like to pose this question:-

was the keris of Majapahit a single form of keris, one that we would now identify as a Modern Keris?

Ma Huan gives us arguably our best summarised picture of Jawa circa 1400, it is found in the Ying Yai Sheng Lan:-

http://faculty.washington.edu/qing/h...lan%5B1%5D.pdf

I suggest a reading of the Java segment of this document, for those who are not already familiar with it. Java is "Chao-Wa"

9th September 2015, 12:25 AM	#17
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,070	Jean, this matter of keris history and development is not only difficult, I tend to believe that it is something that is not of much interest to most collectors. You are correct in that a very large number of academics have studied Javanese & Balinese culture and society for a very long time, however, it appears to me that when these scholars do address the keris, it is addressed in terms that apply to present day attitudes, they seem never to attempt to investigate origins, development, history of the keris. So yes, we are left with a lot of unanswered questions. I have firmly believed for a long time that the only way we can get close to some sort of understanding of the development of the Javanese/Balinese keris is to look very closely at the history and society of the developmental era. I believe that we can be fairly confident in fixing this developmental era to the period prior to the cessation of major migration to Bali from Jawa (+/- 1512), and after the foundation of the Kingdom of Majapahit (+/- 1293). Within this period of time art works and monumental works were produced on a fairly prolific scale. Often we find depictions of weapons that contain sufficient identifiable characteristics to place them as keris, or what we now recognise as keris. However, this production of art was not consistent throughout the entire period. Can we find any depictions, anywhere within this vast body of work, of weapons that look anything like the large, artistic keris that you have posted a picture of in post # 16? In fact, I cannot recall finding a weapon with a waved blade in the art works of this period. Why? So. now I would like to pose this question:- was the keris of Majapahit a single form of keris, one that we would now identify as a Modern Keris? Ma Huan gives us arguably our best summarised picture of Jawa circa 1400, it is found in the Ying Yai Sheng Lan:- http://faculty.washington.edu/qing/h...lan%5B1%5D.pdf I suggest a reading of the Java segment of this document, for those who are not already familiar with it. Java is "Chao-Wa"