The Keris of Majapahit

[A. G. Maisey]

Rasdan, I don't think we can know with any certainty when the word "keris" first was used, but it does appear in Old Javanese, along with other derivatives of "iris":- aniris, iniris, kahiris, mengiris; and we can go this route too:- akris, aniris, kinris, aneris. Seems to me that "keris", or "kris" was a very old word:- something that cuts.

Re Ma Huan's observation of a pu-la’tao, yes, just mention of the result of blade made of irons of varying characteristics is not really sufficient to brand a pu-la’tao as a keris, this is the reason why there has been debate over a lengthy period as to whether he really did see a keris as we know it, or whether he saw a personal dagger of a different kind, however, what he saw may well have been known as a keris at that time. We simply do not and cannot know.


Rasdan, I feel that it is entirely possible that within Majapahit Keraton society, only the ksatriyas would have had the right to carry keris. Others of lower rank may have been permitted to carry formalised tools, for instance wedung, but unless a lower ranked official was a ksatriya I feel it is unlikely that this official would have had a keris.

We must also not lose sight of the fact that any person within keraton society would not, and will not whip out his keris to let another unknown person inspect it. The keris amongst the higher ranks at this time, and even until today, had and has the status of a holy and respected object, it is not for casual inspection.

Personally, I do not believe that Ma Huan would have had the opportunity to see a noble keris, not even from a distance. The hilt, certainly, but the keris itself, no.

The possession of keris with luk was of course confined to a very small number of people prior to the use of the keris, along with other Javanese icons, to assist in the spread of Islam.