Next keris from Polish Museum

BluErf · 11th June 2005, 02:48 AM

I suspect this is an early Javanese piece. The handle, according to Martin Kerner's book, is veiled Durga. The proportions is not quite Balinese, especially with the bottom which seemed to fit a mendak than a Balinese 'hilt receptacle' (I don't know the term for that big round thing studded with gems

). But a Hindu Goddess would suggest a pre-Islamic era.

The greneng is the 'out-of-blade-profile' type. Later-day Javanese kerises usually have 'within-the-blade-profile' kind of greneng. And the overall execution of the blade is something reminiscent of the 16th century Javanese kerises in Karsten Jensen's book. If I may add, the execution of this keris is somewhat between a Balinese blade and a N Malayan blade. Both were supposed to have descended from early Javanese keris forms, and retained much of those characteristics. Interestingly enough, Javanese keris forms lost most of those old-style aesthetics and seemed to have moved inexorably into the realm of pamor, pamor, pamor.

11th June 2005, 02:48 AM	#7
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	I suspect this is an early Javanese piece. The handle, according to Martin Kerner's book, is veiled Durga. The proportions is not quite Balinese, especially with the bottom which seemed to fit a mendak than a Balinese 'hilt receptacle' (I don't know the term for that big round thing studded with gems ). But a Hindu Goddess would suggest a pre-Islamic era. The greneng is the 'out-of-blade-profile' type. Later-day Javanese kerises usually have 'within-the-blade-profile' kind of greneng. And the overall execution of the blade is something reminiscent of the 16th century Javanese kerises in Karsten Jensen's book. If I may add, the execution of this keris is somewhat between a Balinese blade and a N Malayan blade. Both were supposed to have descended from early Javanese keris forms, and retained much of those characteristics. Interestingly enough, Javanese keris forms lost most of those old-style aesthetics and seemed to have moved inexorably into the realm of pamor, pamor, pamor.