Bibliography on SEA weapons

[n.s.y.o]

Greetings,

I'm new to this forum and also to Southeast Asian weapons. I have been trying to locate reference material that relates to it, but it seems to be quite scarce. I would appreciate any reading recommendations, especially with regard to classical Java of the central period if possible (apart from Mr. Maisey's "Origin" article, I mean).

Thank you. N.

[David]

Hi n.s.y.o. and welcome to the forum.
Well, just on keris alone:

1. Krisses-A critical Bibliography-David van Duuren.Pictures Publishers,Polstraat 52,4261
BV,Wijk en Aalburg,Holland.I highly recommend this book.
2. Keris Jawa-antara Mystik dan Nalar-Haryono Haryoguritno- P.T. Indonesia Kebanggaanku-
Jakarta, ISBN: 979-25-2530-0. Text in Indonesian.
The most beautiful book on the keris that has ever been published.
3. The World of the Javanese Keris-Garrett and Bronwen Solyom,East-West
Centre-Hawaii,1978. An enormous amount of solid information in a limited number of pages.
This book has my complete endorsement.
4. Ensiklopedi Keris- Bambang Harsrinuksmo, Gramedia- Jakarta, ISBN:
979-22-0649-3.Text in Indonesian; a comprehensive reference.
5. The Kris-An Earthly Approach to a Cosmic Symbol-David van Duuren.Pictures Publishers
Polstraat 52,4261 BV,Wijk en Aalburg,Holland. An excellent book for beginners; I highly
recommend this book.
6. 'Origin of the Keris and its Development to the 14th. Century'-A.Maisey(article)
Published in "Arms Cavalcade"-The Official Journal of the Antique Arms Collectors Society of
Australia ,Vol.I,No.2, April 1998.
7. De Kris-Magic Relic of Old Indonesia-Vols.I,II and III Ing. G.J.F.J. Tammens.Holland,
1992/1993/1994.Parallel text in English and Dutch.
8. Origin of Early Kerises-Martin Kerner A4,152p.,50 ill.in black/white,ISBN 3-9520980-9-4
9. A Glossary of the Construction,Decoration ,and Use of Arms and Armour-George Cameron
Stone .(Several editions.The standard reference on Eastern Edged Weaponry).AKA-"Stones
Glossary"
10. The Keris and Other Malay Weapons-A.H.Hill,Journal of the Malay Branch of the Royal
Asiatic Society,Vol.XX Part II,1947.
11. The Kris-E.Frey,Oxford University Press,Singapore.
12. Keris-Drs.Hamzuri,P.T. Midas Surya Grafindo-Jakarta,1984.
13. Keris and Other Weapons of Indonesia-Moebirman,Yayasan Pelita Wisata,Jakarta,1973.
14. The Invincible Krises 2- Vanna Ghiringhelli, Saviolo Publisher, USA, 2007,
ISBN 978-88-95125-05-3
15. Kris the Invincible(Kris Gli Invincibili)-Vanna e Mario Ghiringheli,Be-Ma Editrice,Milano
1991.
16. 'An Introduction to the Javanese Keris'-Hardiono H.B.(article). Published in "Arts of
Asia",Vol.9,No.3 May-June 1979, 1309 Kowloon Centre,29-30 Ashley Road,Kowloon H.K.
17. The Keris and the Naga-A.G.Maisey(article). Published in "Arms Cavalcade"-The Official
Journal of the Antique Arms Collectors Society of Australia,Vol.I,No.3,December 2000.
18. 'The Great Blades of Java'-A.Maisey (article). Published in "Knives '90" DBI Books Inc.
Northfield,Illinois
19. The Keris in the Magic World View-Martin Kerner A4,62p.,ill. black/white.ISBN
3-9520980-2-7,1999

Cultural and Historical Background.

1. Visible and Invisible Realms-Margaret J.Wiener
ISBN 0-226-88582-8/1,The University of Chicago Press
This book is essential reading for anybody who wishes to come to an understanding of the keris.
perhaps the single most important work on this page.
2. Island of Bali-Miguel Covarrubias,Oxford University Press,many editions,first published
1937.
3. The Indianized States of Southeast Asia-G.Coedès.East-West Centre Press,Hawaii,1968.
4. Nusantara,AHistory of Indonesia-Bernard H.M.Vlekke,English edition-W.van Hoeve Ltd.
1959.
5. On the Javanese Keris-W.H.Rassers,published in Bijdragen,99,1940.There is also an English
edition
6. Sekala and Niskala -Fred B. Eisman,jr.,ISBN 0-945971-03-6,Periplus Editions,First Edition
1990.
7. Malay Magic-Walter W.Skeat.First pub.1900,2nd.Ed.Benjamin Blom Inc.,New York,1972.

Also recently out is The Invincible Krises 2 and and new translation of Groneman's Javanese Keris.

For a wider variance of weapons there is Zonneveld's Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelego and also Stone's Glossary has a fair section on weapons from this area. Swords and Daggers of Indonesia by Vaclac Solv is an interesting, though not too accurate, book on the subject. Then there is Robert Cato's Moro Sword.

You can also find some pretty interesting websites out there if you google specific weapons. Hope some of this is helpful.

[n.s.y.o]

Hi David,
Thanks for the list.

Apologies, however, as I probably should have mentioned that I have already seen that page on Mr. Maisey's website. Although extremely useful for information on the keris, it is unfortunately a little too specialised and, with the exception of some of the bibliography on the culture and history, a little too late chronologically for me.

You see, I am currently researching weaponry in ancient Java (7th-10th centuries), and that includes a large variety of arms and armour - swords, bows, shields, clubs, etc. - and I am totally new to this subject, so searching for specific weapons is guesswork at best when I have no idea what to name them, especially for the time period I am studying, which is in Old Javanese, a dead language.

Further, Zonneveld and Solv cannot, very unfortunately, be found where I am currently located. If there are any alternatives, I would be extremely grateful.

Stone's Glossary is fortunately, for the most part, on Google Books here:

http://books.google.com/books?id=J5PgapzD6FoC&dq=stone+glossary+construction+decoration+arms+armour&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=8yrgSc3wEYeNkAW4toTNCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4

, hooray!

I have also found this:
- Draeger, Donn F., Weapons and fighting arts of Indonesia, 1992, Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle Co.
and wonder if anyone has already read it, if it's any good?

Thanks again, and hopefully this page will become a comprehensive bibliography, not only for kerises (although I have absolutely nothing against them).

N

[David]

Yes N. i think the period you are interested in is actually pre-keris. You are probably right in that there is not a lot of reference material about this period weapon-wise. You might want to contact Mr. Maisey (who is also a forum member here) about this, he may be able to put you on to a few things.

[Rick]

It is a fine publication, but I doubt you'll find much that is useful in Draeger's book .

[n.s.y.o]

David and Rick, thanks again for your comments. I'll see what I can dig up then.