AN INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION ON THE MYSTERIOUS INDONESIAN KERIS.

9. This example is a modern Kudi with a wooden hilt and sheath. The bird head shape blade is in pamor with greneng on its back side.

11. Barong dance performance with kris-wielding dancers and Rangda in Bali

33. Origins of the Keris These beautiful and mystical blades originated in the Malay Archipelago. It is reported that their creation began as in the 7th Century. Keris blades are indigenous to Malaysia, Indonesia and the southern Philippines. They are similar in reverence to the natives of these countries as Samurai swords are to Japanese natives. Some scholars believe that the first Keris' were inspired by daggers of the Dong-Son of Vietnam which existed as early as 300 B.C. More study and research is being done into the exact origins of these mysterious blades by studying early carvings found in Southeast Asia. Click….

34. An Introduction to Keris Keris blades have existed for thousands of years, yet many are uninitiated in regard to the fascinating history of these highly collectable and sought after blades. For those who know the Keris, their magical, supernatural and spiritual properties are famous and one of things that makes them so prized and extraordinary. Keris knives or blades are also known as Kris blades, but the proper term is Keris rather than Kris which is a European term. The word is pronounced Kerēse with a long e vowel sound on the second e; the word Keris comes from the Malay language which means to "stab" or to "pierce." Even though the origin of the name indicates that the knife was used as a weapon, it has been said that they were actually not made for combat, but rather as spiritual objects which protected their owners, warned them of impending danger and even allowed them to peek into the future. Other legends state that Keris' were certainly made for combat and some were even made to kill a particular enemy and was "retired" after this act. Click…

35. The kris or keris is an asymmetrical dagger indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei. It is known as kalis in the southern Philippines. The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, but many have straight blades as well. Both a weapon and spiritual object, kris are often considered to have an essence or presence, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad. In 2005, UNESCO gave the title Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity to the kris of Indonesia. In return, UNESCO urged Indonesia to preserve their heritage. Click…

36. Kris history is generally traced through the study of carvings and bas-relief panels found in Southeast Asia. It is widely believed by archaeologists that the earliest kris prototype can be traced to Dong Son in Vietnam circa 300 BC. From there, the design would have been brought into present-day Malaysia by Cham migrants who made their way into the Malay Peninsula twenty centuries ago. Another theory is that the kris was based on daggers from India. Frey (2003) concludes from Raffles' (1817) study of the Candi Sukuh that the kris recognized today came into existence around 1361 AD in the kingdom of Majapahit. There exist claims of earlier forms predating the Majapahit kris but none are verifiable. In the past, the majority of kris had straight blades but this became less frequent over time. Some of the most famous renderings of a kris appear on the Borobudur temple (825 CE) andPrambanan temple (850CE). Tome Pires, in early 16th century, describe the importance of Kris to the Javanese.