Archeological Finding

[kai]

Hello Rasdan,

No blade remains found, no pesi inside the hilt?

I have a really tough time to believe that hilt and selut were born together... Even allowing for some deterioration, the hilt does look to be of very mundane quality.

There is an Aceh hilt based on the Javanese planar grip. The high-end versions came with this type of selut and were royal gifts to local rulers in the greater Aceh sphere of influence; however, one would expect hilts from status material and excellent workmanship.

Regards,
Kai

[rasdan]

Hello Kai,

I am not sure if there was a blade found or remnants of a pesi in the hilt. I guess it was found like in the first picture.

When you mentioned Acheh, it rings a bell in my mind. I think in Kris Disk there's a non javanese keris with an ivory hilt that looks like a Jogja hilt. I didn't found the picture but I found the one below. Thanks for pointing it out Kai.

[kai]

Hello Rasdan,

Yes, that's another example of these bawar hilts.

Here are the Aceh gift keris from the northern Sumatran highlands:
hilt silver
cup suasa/rubies

Regards,
Kai

[rasdan]

Thanks Kai, keris you posted above is the one that I meant. Now I know that this combination is not an oddity.