"Malaysian kris/keris"

[A. G. Maisey]

"The Sundang is fairly well accepted as developing from some form of Indonesian keris."

This point has not been proven at all and is not even discussed in any literature on the keris. I don't think Cato even discussed it in his work on Moro swords."

Mr. de Luzon, your statement that the sundang is not proven to have developed from the Indonesian keris may be technically correct, but your statement does not reflect the consensus of opinion in this matter. As with many, if not most matters of a historic nature, absolute proof of origin of the weapon form that we now refer to as "keris" is probably impossible to present, however, a careful review of the available evidence of keris origin will demonstrate that the current consensus of opinion is very difficult to refute.

The weapon from which all keris have developed first appeared in Central Jawa during the Early Classical Period. All other types of keris developed from this first form, known today by scholars of the keris as the "Keris Buda".

The keris spread from Jawa through trade and gifting to other places throughout Maritime South East Asia. This spread probably began during the Majapahit era and continued during the Mataram era, indeed, by some measures, it could be considered to have continued up until the present day.

The sundang is a unique derivation of the original keris, this is certain, but it did come from the same root as all other keris.

Perhaps a little more generalised reading of the literature that deals with Javanese keris, and of the history of Jawa, most especially Javanese trade links, may be of value.