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A Palembang Keris
- Thread starter ferguson
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2005
- Messages
- 20,003
You would have mentioned if it was wootz, correct? Its beautiful regardless. Great pics.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2001
- Messages
- 4,238
Thanks guys. 
Not wootz Andy, but it is a pattern welded blade. Malay and Indonesian keris are mostly all pattern welded, then they are stained with a mixture of lime juice and arsenic, which turns the iron part black. Mine needs to be stained.
Here's a link to a yearly ceremony where keris are cleaned and re-etched.
http://home.pacific.net.sg/~dspf/muharram.html
Interesting stuff.
Steve
Not wootz Andy, but it is a pattern welded blade. Malay and Indonesian keris are mostly all pattern welded, then they are stained with a mixture of lime juice and arsenic, which turns the iron part black. Mine needs to be stained.
Here's a link to a yearly ceremony where keris are cleaned and re-etched.
http://home.pacific.net.sg/~dspf/muharram.html
Interesting stuff.
Steve
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2002
- Messages
- 1,861
Nice keris Steve! I am more familiar with Balinese and Javanese than Sumatra, but I like this one.
The blade has a shape similar to one I have from Lombok.
Unusual blade shape for a keris. The strong central ridge is called an ada-ada or odo-odo in Java. ('a' is pronounced 'o' in Javanese).
It has beautiful and graceful lines. Scabbard and handle look right, even the bell-shaped brass mendak.
Got yourself a good, honest and solid keris. No tourist piece. This once belonged to a good man and from the feeling I get, it was important to him.
Congratulations.
The blade has a shape similar to one I have from Lombok.
Unusual blade shape for a keris. The strong central ridge is called an ada-ada or odo-odo in Java. ('a' is pronounced 'o' in Javanese).
It has beautiful and graceful lines. Scabbard and handle look right, even the bell-shaped brass mendak.
Got yourself a good, honest and solid keris. No tourist piece. This once belonged to a good man and from the feeling I get, it was important to him.
Congratulations.
Hi Steve,
Nice keris - the dress looks Palembang to me, but the blade looks like Minangkabau origin, but I could be wrong.
Some mystic ritual to be carried out in treating the keris - at least what it is done in Malaysia.
Stain the blade with warangan (mixture of arsenic & lime juice), then oil it with mineral lubricant and sandalwood oil. Dry it with benzoine/kemenyan smoke.
After you do all that, dont sheath it first, wrap the keris & sheath in a white cloth along with some flower petals (fragrant & non poisonous) and keep it overnight under your pillow. A dream will tell you something about the keris.
Nice keris - the dress looks Palembang to me, but the blade looks like Minangkabau origin, but I could be wrong.
Some mystic ritual to be carried out in treating the keris - at least what it is done in Malaysia.
Stain the blade with warangan (mixture of arsenic & lime juice), then oil it with mineral lubricant and sandalwood oil. Dry it with benzoine/kemenyan smoke.
After you do all that, dont sheath it first, wrap the keris & sheath in a white cloth along with some flower petals (fragrant & non poisonous) and keep it overnight under your pillow. A dream will tell you something about the keris.
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2005
- Messages
- 2,940
I also have a Sumatran Birds Head Kris and it is very similar to yours. I thought the blades were forged and folded like a japanese blade, but very crudely. Mine was termed 'watered damascus', I guessed because it looks like ripples in water.
Just looked at your link, mine is third picture down, second Kris from the left.
Just looked at your link, mine is third picture down, second Kris from the left.
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2006
- Messages
- 3,724
I haven't seen this page in years! Sandalwood oil, eh? My keris has almost completely lost its scent. I'll have to try and find some of this fragrant oil to give it that "new 100 year old keris" smell again!
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2002
- Messages
- 1,861
You have good information Arya.
Adni Aljunied is accepting keris to be cleaned and ritualized in this ceremony.
http://www.geocities.com/keris4u/suro_eventsIV.htm
Thanks for the link Bill, I really apreciate it. Never thought that such an event could be held in Singapore (Malays are minorities).
Unfortunately, I wont be able to be there as I have misplaced my international passport, and it would take 6 or more months to get a replacement. Malaysian Special Branch must be satisfied with my lost passport explanation before the Immigration can issue me a new one.
BTW, I will ask a friend to participate in the competition if he is interested.
Unfortunately, I wont be able to be there as I have misplaced my international passport, and it would take 6 or more months to get a replacement. Malaysian Special Branch must be satisfied with my lost passport explanation before the Immigration can issue me a new one.
BTW, I will ask a friend to participate in the competition if he is interested.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2001
- Messages
- 4,238
Nice. Very attractive blade. How do the handles feel on these types of blades? I see keris, parongs, etc. that have seemingly intricate, fragile handles (compared to a khuk) and think they must have a purpose, but they don't look very comfortable.
Thanks for sharing. (I envy your collection)
Thanks for sharing. (I envy your collection)
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2002
- Messages
- 1,861
Shann,
In hand, the handles are very comfortable.
Most Indonesian and peninsular keris were not intended as battle weapons, though they would do serious damage in a thrust.
Keris were mainly talismans. You will see pictures of Indonesians going into battle wearing keris, but they usually did not use them for fighting unless all their other weapons were gone.
The tang is round to make the handle easiliy removable to be able to soak the blade in solutions to clean, etch and or stain. But this means the handle could easiliy come off in battle.
The keris was a symbol of manhood. Most men had one that they got from their father as a coming of age ceremony.
And another that was handed down through generations, called a "pusaka" or heirloom. This was a very important keris that they felt was a conduit to their ancestors for communication and power.
They also considered the keris as a focal point between the invisible (niskala) and the visible (sekala).
At one time it was considered very imporoper, even illegal in some areas, for a Javanese man to be seen in public without his keris.
To me and most people in the Javanese and Balinese keris collecting arena, the blade is by far the most important part of the keris. The "dress" or scabbard and handle is by far secondary. The dress was often changed several times during the life of the man as his place in society changed, financially, politically, age.
Nobles once sent their keris as a stand-in for marriages to second or minor wives.
As you might understand the keris was one of the most important things in an Indonesian man's life. They considered them to have a spirit of their own. Who knows, they may be right!
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2002
- Messages
- 1,861
There is a very serious version of HIKV that goes with keris collecting. I am presently going nuts about the Moro kris, like the one in my avatar. But I also love the Indonesian pieces!
Steve has an excellent example here.
Steve is in trouble. Khuks and keris. Whew!
Yo Steve! Have you put it under your pillow and gone to sleep? Try it. Hoooo Haaaah!