Three Keris in Detail
A fragmented collection
Modern museum collections are usually based on various private collections from previous centuries. These private collections were usually characterised by a rich diversity and joy of the exotic. But when these collections were nationalised at the end of the 19th century, they were considered too unstructured to be properly managed.
It is for this reason that Swedish cultural heritage underwent a major division around the beginning of the 20th century. Most of the Royal Armoury’s oriental weapons were deposited at the Museum of Ethnography. The time is now right to bring together, at least digitally, these fragmented collections.
Origin and soul
Kris daggers exist throughout the Malaysian archipelago (modern-day Malaysia, southern Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei and the southern Philippines). They have their origins at the end of the Hindu Buddhist period on the island of Java in Indonesia. The kris (keris) used to be both a physical and metaphysical weapon, but its symbolic and ritual aspects are now dominant.
The blade is the actual kris. The hilt and the sheath are merely its “clothes”. Traditionally, the blade of the kris is considered to possess a soul and to be dangerous to possess for those who have not been initiated into how it should be handled and revered. It is considered disrespectful to a kris for it to wear old clothes, which is why these are changed regularly to the current fashion.
For this reason, it is very rare to find krises with hilts and sheaths that date back further than the end of the 19th century in their countries of origin. The krises that came early to the Royal Armoury’s collection have been preserved in their original state. They therefore provide a valuable insight into what krises looked like in their entirety in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Manufacture and meaning
The blade of the kris is made from a mixture of iron and nickel, which the blacksmith folds and hammers in several steps in order to produce different patterns (pamor). By etching the blade with arsenic and citrus juice, the silvery nickel stands out against the black iron, making its pamor appear more clearly.
The blade of the kris is either straight or has an odd number of waves. The straight blade represents the mythological serpent dragon Naga at rest, while the wavy one symbolises Naga in motion. Odd numbers are considered male and even numbers female. Even the traditional Javanese Hindu Buddhist temples have an odd number of roofs. The more waves on a kris or on the roof of a temple, the higher the status of its owner or founding family.
In addition to Shiva and Naga, the elephant god Ganesha is often represented on the blade in the form of a stylised trunk closest to its ganja. Ganesha is both the son of Shiva and a deity who clears all obstacles. The combination of the different shapes and number of waves on the blade is adapted to the personality of the owner. It is considered dangerous to own a kris that does not correspond to your own personality, for example, having more waves than you are spiritually able to manage.
The upper part of the kris’s sheath is shaped like a ship, perhaps inspired by the ships that the former Austronesian sailors once used to make their way to the Malaysian archipelago. Some of the oldest krises in European collections also have painted natural motifs on the sheaths. But they are usually simpler, albeit with beautiful and unusual grains in the wood. They often have a metal casing (pendok) around the lower part, embossed with vegetative or geometric motifs.
A pamor can depict a predetermined pattern or be generated randomly in the forging process. If a random pamor generates a discernible pattern – such as a face, a sitting human figure or an Arabic letter – it is considered to be especially powerful. Usually, a predetermined pamor will also be chosen according to the personality and needs of the owner. There are different pamor that are considered specifically to increase one’s popularity, generate wealth, protect against natural disasters, etc.
The hilts of the kris appear in many different regional and contemporary variants. One characteristic of the oldest hilts from Java is that they clearly represent different Hindu beings, usually Ganesha, Garuda, Durga, Bima, forest spirits (yakshas) or figures from shadow plays. When Islam became the leading religion in Java, these beings were increasingly hidden on hilts, taking on a stylised, barely recognisable form. These figures are usually also sitting on their haunches, in the way they buried their ancestors in the pre-Hindu period.
The kris can be seen as a ritual weapon. And an instrument to reconnect with previous generations in one’s family who owned the kris. It is a portable temple, with whose power one can achieve success in life.
A changing bird
Kris from southern Sumatra, probably from the late 17th or early 18th century. Artefact number 24094_lrk/ETN 1889.04.4094/Karl XV’s collection, oriental weapons, dagger no. 12.
Plansch 3 ur katalogen. Kniven och baljan längst nere i mitten (märkt 12) har föremålsnummer 24094_lrk/ETN 1889.04.4094.
Kris with straight blade and pamor (leaf pattern) with an unusually dense bonang rinenteng (“a rail with gong instruments”). This pamor is considered to increase both the authority of the owner and their ability to make money.
The dagger’s sheath consists of two different kinds of wood with attractive grains.
The hilt of the kris is a hybrid of an ancestor and the Hindu bird god Garuda. Since Islam became dominant, this kind of hilt has been reinterpreted as instead depicting a Javanese person shaking with fever, and they usually have significantly more stylised features.
An elephant god
Kris from West Java, probably from the late 17th century. Inv. no.: LRK 24137/ETN 1889.04.4137/Ernst Magnus von Willebrandt’s collection no. 101.
The hilt depicts a stylised Ganesha. He is hidden behind a casing of vegetation, a detail usually associated with forest spirits, yakshas.
Just below the ganja (parrying rod) of the dagger, you can discern the trunk and mouth of the elephant god Ganesha.
The dagger has a blade with 13 waves, and its pamor (blade pattern) is a variant of beras wutah (“scattered grains”) that has emerged randomly.
A gilded hero
Kris from north-east Java, probably from the late 18th century, with a gilded Naga (snake dragon) along the blade. (Inv. no.: LRK 23998/ETN 1889.04.3998/Karl XV’s collection, oriental weapons, dagger no. 26.)
The sheath, which has been carved from a piece of wood, is painted with various fertility motifs. The lower part of the sheath is enclosed by an open pendok (ferrule) with flower motifs.
Gilded motifs of vegetation are inlaid both on its ganja (parrying rod) and along the top part of the blade’s edge. It has 13 waves and its pamor (leaf pattern) is beras wutah (“scattered grains”), which is considered to bring wealth to its owner.
The hilt depicts Nyamba, a hero from an epic shadow play.
Plate no 6 from the catalogue on Karl XV's oriental weapons. The keris with the gilt hero hangs to the left, marked 26. Image: The Royal Armoury (Public Domain).
This presentation of three krises and their origins is a collaboration with Michael Marlow from Åbo Akademi University and the Museum of Ethnography. Its aim is to offer a small insight into some of the Royal Armoury’s collections.
Makusanyo ya majumba ya makumbusho ya kisasa kwa kawaida hutegemea makusanyo mbalimbali ya kibinafsi ya karne zilizopita. Makusanyo hayo ya kibinafsi kwa kawaida yalifafanuliwa na utofauti mwingi na furaha ya kigeni. Lakini wakati makusanyo haya yalipotawaliwa mwishoni mwa karne ya 19, yalifikiriwa kuwa hayana muundo wa kutosha kusimamiwa vizuri. Kwa sababu hii, urithi wa kitamaduni wa Sweden ulipitia mgawanyiko mkubwa karibu na mwanzo wa karne ya 20. Silaha nyingi za mashariki za Royal Armoury ziliwekwa katika Jumba la Makumbusho la Ethnography. Sasa ni wakati mzuri wa kuunganisha, angalau kwa njia ya dijiti, makusanyo haya yaliyovunjika. Kisu cha asili na roho cha Kris kinapatikana katika visiwa vyote vya Malaysia (Malaysia ya kisasa, kusini mwa Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei na kusini mwa Ufilipino). Mabadiliko hayo yalianza katika kipindi cha Ubudha wa Kihindu katika kisiwa cha Java nchini Indonesia. Kris (keris) ilitumiwa kuwa silaha ya kimwili na ya kimwili, lakini mambo yake ya mfano na ya kidesturi sasa ni makubwa. Upanga ni kris halisi. Mkono na kifuniko ni "vazi" lake tu. Kwa kawaida, upanga wa kris huonwa kuwa na nafsi na kuwa hatari kwa wale ambao hawajaanza jinsi inavyopaswa kushughulikiwa na kuheshimiwa. Inachukuliwa kuwa haiheshimu kris kuvaa nguo za zamani, na kwa hiyo hizi hubadilishwa mara kwa mara kwa mtindo wa sasa. Kwa sababu hii, ni nadra sana kupata kris na sleeves na sheaths kwamba tarehe nyuma zaidi ya mwisho wa karne ya 19 katika nchi zao za asili. Mshuko uliokuja mapema kwa mkusanyiko wa Royal Armoury umehifadhiwa katika hali yao ya awali. Kwa hiyo, zinaonyesha jinsi matatizo yalivyokuwa katika karne ya 17 na ya 18. Mchuzi wa kris hutengenezwa kwa mchanganyiko wa chuma na nikeli, ambayo mfinyanzi hujipinda na kupiga kwa nyundo katika hatua kadhaa ili kutokeza michoro tofauti (pamor). Kwa kuchonga kisu hicho kwa arseniki na maji ya machungwa, nikeli hiyo ya fedha huonekana waziwazi dhidi ya chuma hicho cheusi, na hivyo kufanya rangi yake ya chuma ionekane wazi zaidi. Upanga wa kris ni moja kwa moja au una idadi isiyo ya kawaida ya mawimbi. Upanga ulio sawa unawakilisha nyoka-joka wa hadithi Naga akiwa amelala, huku ule wenye mawimbi ukiwakilisha Naga akiwa akihama. Nambari zisizo za kawaida huonwa kuwa za kiume na namba zisizo za kawaida kuwa za kike. Hata mahekalu ya kitamaduni ya Kibuddha ya Kihindu ya Java yana idadi isiyo ya kawaida ya paa. Mabadiliko ya mviringo kwenye paa la hekalu huonyesha kwamba familia ya mwanzilishi wa hekalu hilo ni muhimu. Mbali na Shiva na Naga, mungu wa tembo Ganesha mara nyingi huwakilishwa kwenye upanga kwa namna ya shina lililo karibu zaidi na ganja yake. Ganesha ni mwana wa Shiva na pia ni mungu anayepunguza vizuizi vyote. Mchanganyiko wa maumbo tofauti na idadi ya mawimbi kwenye kisu ni ilichukuliwa kwa utu wa mmiliki. Ni hatari kuwa na kris ambayo hailingani na utu wako mwenyewe, kwa mfano, kuwa na mawimbi zaidi kuliko unavyoweza kusimamia kiroho. Sehemu ya juu ya kifuniko cha kris ina umbo la meli, labda imeongozwa na meli ambazo mabaharia wa zamani wa Austronesia wakati mmoja walitumia kufanya njia yao kwenda visiwa vya Malaysia. Baadhi ya krisi za kale zaidi katika makusanyo ya Ulaya pia zimechora michoro ya asili kwenye vifuniko. Lakini kwa kawaida ni sahili zaidi, ingawa zina chembe nzuri na zisizo za kawaida katika mbao. Mara nyingi huwa na kifuniko cha chuma (pendok) kuzunguka sehemu ya chini, kilichochongwa kwa michoro ya mimea au ya kijiometri. Pamor inaweza kuelezea muundo ulioamuliwa mapema au kuzalishwa kwa nasibu katika mchakato wa kutengeneza. Kama pamor random inazalisha muundo discernible <unk> kama vile uso, kukaa binadamu takwimu au herufi ya Kiarabu <unk> ni kuchukuliwa kuwa hasa nguvu. Kwa kawaida, pamor iliyoamuliwa kimbele pia itachaguliwa kulingana na utu na mahitaji ya mmiliki. Kuna pamor tofauti ambazo zinachukuliwa hasa kuongeza umaarufu wa mtu, kuzalisha utajiri, kulinda dhidi ya majanga ya asili, nk. Vipande vya kris huonekana katika aina nyingi tofauti za kikanda na za kisasa. Mfano wa hila ni hila ya kihistoria ya Kihindu, ambayo inawakilisha wahindi kama vile Ganesha, Garuda, Durga, Bima, roho za misitu (yakshas) au wahusika wa michezo ya kivuli. Wakati Uislamu ulipokuwa dini kuu katika Java, viumbe hawa walifichwa zaidi na zaidi kwenye vifungo, wakichukua umbo la mtindo, lisilotambuliwa. Kwa kawaida sanamu hizo huketi kwenye viuno vyao, kama vile walivyowazika mababu zao katika kipindi cha kabla ya Uhindu. Kris yaweza kuonwa kuwa silaha ya kidesturi. Na chombo cha kuunganisha tena na vizazi vya awali katika familia ya mtu ambaye alikuwa na kris. Ni hekalu linaloweza kubebwa, ambalo kwa nguvu yake mtu aweza kupata mafanikio maishani. Ndege anayeitwa Kris kutoka kusini mwa Sumatra, labda kutoka mwishoni mwa karne ya 17 au mapema karne ya 18. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika kitabu cha ""Karl XV: Collection of Oriental Weapons"" (Karl XV: Collection of Oriental Weapons, 24094-44094) na ""Karl XV: Oriental Weapons"" (Karl XV: Collection of Oriental Weapons, 24094-44094) ni pamoja na ""Karl XV: Collection of Oriental Weapons"" (Karl XV: Collection of Oriental Weapons, 24094-44094)." 12. (a) Kwa nini? Plansch 3 ur katalogen. "Kichwa cha Mnyama na Mnyama wa Mnyama ""Kichwa cha Mnyama na Mnyama"" (Kichwa cha Mnyama na Mnyama) na ""Kichwa cha Mnyama na Mnyama"" (Kichwa cha Mnyama na Mnyama) na ""Kichwa cha Mnyama na Mnyama"" (Kichwa cha Mnyama na Mnyama) na ""Kichwa cha Mnyama na Mnyama"" (Kichwa cha Mnyama na Mnyama)." Kris na upanga wa moja kwa moja na pamor (mfano wa jani) na bonang rinenteng isiyo ya kawaida (<unk> reli na vyombo vya gong<unk>). Pamor hii inachukuliwa kuongeza mamlaka ya mmiliki na uwezo wao wa kupata pesa. Kifuniko cha kisu hicho kimefanyizwa kwa aina mbili tofauti za mbao zenye chembechembe zenye kuvutia. Mkono wa kris ni mchanganyiko wa babu na mungu wa ndege wa Kihindu Garuda. Tangu Uislamu ulipokuwa na nguvu, aina hii ya kiganja imetafsiriwa tena kama kuonyesha mtu wa Java akitetemeka kwa homa, na kwa kawaida huwa na sifa za mtindo zaidi. Mfano wa mungu wa tembo Kris kutoka Java Magharibi, labda kutoka mwishoni mwa karne ya 17. Inv. La, sivyo. "K. 24138 (mwisho wa mwaka 1899) ni ""Mwanzoni mwa miaka ya 1930"" na ""Mwanzoni mwa miaka ya 1930"" na ""Mwanzoni mwa miaka ya 1930"" na ""Mwanzoni mwa miaka ya 1930"" na ""Mwanzoni mwa miaka ya 1930"" na ""Mwanzoni mwa miaka ya 1930"" na ""Mwanzoni mwa miaka ya 1930." 101 - Mfano wa Usalama Mkono huo unaonyesha Ganesha aliyebuniwa. Yeye hufichwa nyuma ya kifuniko cha mimea, jambo ambalo kwa kawaida huhusianishwa na roho za msitu, yakshas. Chini tu ya ganja (fimbo ya kuzuia) ya kisu, unaweza kuona kiuno na kinywa cha mungu tembo Ganesha. Kisu hicho kina upanga wenye mawimbi 13, na pamor (mfano wa upanga) ni aina ya beras wutah (mawe yaliyotawanyika) ambayo yameibuka kwa nasibu. Mfano wa Kisheria wa Kaskazini Mashariki mwa Java, na Naga (nyoka wa nyoka) kwenye upanga. (Inv. La, sivyo. "Kilele cha ""Kilele cha Kilicho"" cha Kilicho"" (Kilele cha Kilicho) cha Karl XV, na ""Kilele cha Kilicho"" cha Karl XV, na ""Kilele cha Kilicho"" cha Karl XV." 26.) Kifuniko hicho, ambacho kimetengenezwa kwa kipande cha mbao, kimechorwa kwa michoro mbalimbali ya uzazi. Sehemu ya chini ya kifuniko ni kuzungukwa na pendok wazi (ferrule) na motisha maua. Mifano ya mimea iliyotiwa dhahabu imechongwa kwenye ganja yake (kamba ya kuzuia) na kwenye sehemu ya juu ya ukingo wa upanga. Ina mawimbi 13 na pamor yake (mfano wa jani) ni beras wutah (mawe yaliyotawanyika), ambayo inachukuliwa kuleta utajiri kwa mmiliki wake. Mkono huo unaonyesha Nyamba, shujaa kutoka kwenye mchezo wa kuigiza wenye kuvutia. "Kifungu cha 6 cha ""Katalog ya silaha za mashariki za Karl XV""" "Kerris na ""Hero"" ya dhahabu inasimama upande wa kushoto, alama ya 26." Picha: Royal Armoury (Domain ya Umma). Maonyesho ya matukio matatu ya kiuchumi na chanzo chao ni ushirikiano na Michael Marlowe kutoka Chuo Kikuu cha Åbo Akademi na Makumbusho ya Ethnography. Lengo lake ni kutoa ufahamu mdogo katika baadhi ya makusanyo ya Royal Armoury.