Parts of a pusaka keris

[A. G. Maisey]

Just one more comment:- a Javanese -English dictionary is useful, Robson & Wibisono is maybe the best, but this only goes so far, what we really need is several Javanese to Javanese dictionaries, & maybe a Javanese to Bahasa Indonesia & an Old Javanese and/or Kawi as well.

[Ian]

Thanks again Alan! Your understanding of the language goes far beyond dictionaries. Much appreciated.

Here is another URL that I found helpful for its descriptions of the history of the keris and the naming of its features: https://indosphere.medium.com/keris-...a-355326550e8d According to this site,

Keris are also indigenous to Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Singapore and the Philippines where it is known as kalis, with sword variants.
The keris is widely distributed throughout the areas of influence of the Majapahit Empire, and in the Cham areas of Cambodia, who are heirs to the ancient Shiva-Buddha religion that once spanned all of Southeast Asia. It also appeared in the Dong-Son culture of Vietnam as early as 300 B.C.

In the case of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, I believe this refers mainly to the use of the keris buda in the remote past, rather than the modern form of keris first associated with the Majapahit period in Indonesia, although southern Thailand in particular still has considerable Malaysian influence.

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you Ian.