Kris question to the knowledgeables

[MABAGANI]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

I WOULD GUESS THE KRIS WAS THERE BEFORE ISLAM AS THE TAILSMAN CARVINGS ARE UNLIKE ANYTHING FOUND WHERE ISLAM STARTED AND THE BELIEFS WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE RELIGION. THE PEOPLE WHO CONVERTED TO ISLAM WOULD HAVE KEPT SOME OF THEIR TRADITIONS ALTHOUGH THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN MODIFIED BY THE NEW RELIGION AND LOST MANY OF THE MEANINGS THROUGH TIME.

Not necessarily, the Moros practiced what was called "folk" Islam, meaning they intertwined early beliefs.
I'd agree the keris arrived in Philippines before Islam but not the kris, if it were true your timeline brings origins back a couple of centuries to before the mid 15th century? If I recall in a previous thread its rare or even unproven to find keris dated that early?
Eastern thought holds that true knowledge remains flexible, so I'll keep an open mind on this subject even if they don't fit into my own observations. It would be difficult to prove many of these opinions with concrete evidence like one would want, so many of the opinions are as good as any. Like you mentioned religion and faith can get sticky.
I've put out much of my ideas regarding the kris in this forum waiting to see how the next publication would mesh with my own study.