Kris

For other uses, see Kris (disambiguation).
Kris
ꦏꦿꦶꦱ꧀
The kris consists of three parts; blade (wilah), hilt (hulu) and sheath (warangka)
TypeDagger
Place of originIndonesia, Indonesia[1][2][3]
Service history
In serviceMataram Kingdom, Singhasari Kingdom, Majapahit Empire, Bali Kingdom (Badung Kingdom, Karangasem Kingdom, Mataram-Cakranegara Kingdom, Mengwi Kingdom, Buleleng Kingdom), Sunda Kingdom, Malacca Sultanate, Demak Sultanate, Mataram Sultanate, Surakarta Sunanate, Yogyakarta Sultanate, Brunei Sultanate, Malay Peninsula, present day Indonesian archipelago[4]
Used byJavanese (mainly and originally)
Also familiar to Balinese, Sundanese, Malays, Banjar, Madurese, Buginese and Makassar
WarsBattle of Genter, Pamalayu expedition, Mongol invasion of Java, Battle of Bubat, Majapahit civil war, Siege of Batavia, Diponegoro War, Indonesian National Revolution
Production history
DesignerIndonesia
DesignedMajapahit Empire
VariantsKalis, Balasiong, Punyal (Gunong), Chundrik[5]
Specifications
Blade typeDouble edged nickelous iron or steel
Hilt typeIvory, bone, horn, wooden or metals. Sometimes coated with gold or silver and decorated with gemstones
Scabbard/sheathWooden frame covered and decorated with ivory or metals (gold, silver, copper, iron, brass, or steel)
Kris
Kris as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
CountryIndonesia
CriteriaTraditional craftsmanship
Reference112
RegionAsia and the Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription2008 (3rd session)
ListRepresentative List

The kris or keris is a distinctive, asymmetrical dagger from the Indonesia.

The kris (Indonesia: or keris[n 1] is a Javanese asymmetrical dagger with a distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (pamor).[8] The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, although many have straight blades as well, and is one of the weapons commonly used in the pencak silat martial art native to Indonesia. Kris have been produced in many regions of Indonesia

For centuries, the Kris has been an important part of the culture of the Indonesian archipelago, but nowhere is the keris' role so profound and integrated with ritual, ceremony, mythology and epic literature as in Java, especially in Central Java. There, the kris is not only considered a weapon, but also a spiritual symbol, a cultural heritage and an heirloom object laden with magical and historical meaning.[9]: 27  Within Indonesia the kris is commonly associated with Javanese culture. In fact, Kris is not only known in Java, but also in various other regions in Indonesia such as Bali, Bugis (South Sulawesi), Lombok, Minangkabau (West Sumatra), and Melayu (Riau and North Sumatra). Each region has a kris with its own characteristics, both in terms of shape, size, and function. In Bali, kris is honored in spiritual ceremonies, while in Bugis, kris is used more as a weapon. Although different, kris in each region still has high symbolic and spiritual value.[10] The kris is recognized as the most prominent cultural symbol of Indonesia and has a deep connection to the nation's history and traditions.[2]: 266  Although the kris is also found in neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines, its role and meaning in Indonesia, especially in Java and Bali, is much deeper and integrated into various aspects of culture, spirituality, and daily life.[11]

A kris can be divided into three parts: blade (bilah or wilah), hilt (hulu), and sheath (warangka). Each part of the kris is considered a piece of art, often carved in meticulous detail and made from various materials: metal, precious or rare types of wood, or gold or ivory. A kris's aesthetic value covers the dhapur (the form and design of the blade, with around 60 variants), the pamor (the pattern of metal alloy decoration on the blade, with around 250 variants), and tangguh referring to the age and origin of a kris.[12] Depending on the quality and historical value of the kris, it can fetch thousands of dollars or more.

Both a weapon and spiritual object, kris are often considered to have an essence or presence, considered to possess magical powers, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad.[12] Kris are used for display, as talismans with magical powers, weapons, a sanctified heirloom (pusaka), auxiliary equipment for court soldiers, an accessory for ceremonial dress, an indicator of social status, a symbol of heroism, etc.[12] Legendary kris that possess supernatural power and extraordinary ability were mentioned in traditional folktales, such as those of Empu Gandring, Taming Sari, and Setan Kober.

In 2005, UNESCO awarded the kris the status of Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity Fromm Indonesia.[12]

  1. ^ "Keris Indonesia". Kebudayaan.kemendikbud.go.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-08-22.
  2. ^ a b Top 100 Cultural Wonders of Indonesia. Jakarta: Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. 2015. ISBN 978-979-1274-66-1.
  3. ^ Pires, Tomé (1990). The Suma Oriental of Tome Pires: An Account of the East. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. p. 179. ISBN 81-206-0535-7.
  4. ^ Albert G Van Zonneveld (2002). Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago. Koninklijk Instituut Voor Taal Land. ISBN 90-5450-004-2.
  5. ^ James Richardson Logan (1853). The Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia, Volume 7. Miss. Press. p. 281.
  6. ^ Sudaryanto, Pranowo (2001). Kamus Pepak Basa Jawa (in Javanese). p. 1359.
  7. ^ See: Javanese language: Politeness
  8. ^ Tantri Yuliandini (April 18, 2002). "Kris, more than just a simple dagger". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  9. ^ Groneman, Isaäc (2009). "The Javanese Kris" (PDF). Leiden: Leiden and KITLV Press. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  10. ^ "Kecanggihan Para Empu Keris | Batukarinfo". www.batukarinfo.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  11. ^ "KERIS DALAM PERSPEKTIF KEILMUAN". Pustaka Kemdikbud. Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia. 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d "UNESCO - Indonesian Kris". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 2020-10-24.


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