Something worth a passing glance

A. G. Maisey · 8th January 2025, 09:21 PM

I thought it might have come from me, but I usually rely on memory with this sort of thing --- ie, what i once had & no longer do have --- & my memory banks are over-full, so I tend to forget things. However, if i said it was silver when I passed it to you, it is silver, I always test before I say someting is silver, its too easy to make a mistake.

As to the motif. The word "semen" comes from "semi", it is the same root that gives us the "tunggak semi" planar jejeran/pegangan style, "semi" means to sprout, to blossom, to form a bud, the idea is representative of new life, a new start.

In olden times the semen class of batik motifs were the prerogative of royalty.

There are a lot of semen motifs and they can include a lot of sub-motifs, in your pendok the boomerang type things are supposedly representative of a tiered garden, but we can also see birds, a suggestion of serpents and foliage, the fan-like motif at the top of the pendok is supposedly representative of a peacock.

I'm not expert in the reading of these motifs, and I rely to a large extent on two sources:- batik pattern books & the opinions of people who know vastly more than I do about Javanese art motifs.

jagabuwana · 10th January 2025, 09:32 AM

Beautiful stuff. Thank you for sharing with us, Alan.

SidJ · 10th January 2025, 01:50 PM

Thanks Alan,

Stupid question but is there any link or association between the keris and the pending pattern? Complementary in some way? Or no connection at all?

SidJ · 10th January 2025, 01:50 PM

Pendok

A. G. Maisey · 10th January 2025, 08:11 PM

No Sid, not really any cultural connection.

If we look at old examples of Javanese pendok we find most of them are quite plain. The ethic is, and has been for a long time, that it is best to hide the nature of one's keris from the sight of others. If the characteristics of the keris itself are known, those characteristics can be used against the possessor of the keris. In various places & at various times, the gonjo of the keris was made without pamor, & the underlying reason for this was to effectively seal the nature of the keris from the knowledge of other people.

However, a pendok can carry a message, & that message is not linked to the keris itself, but rather to the possessor or wearer of the keris. In kraton society the sunggingan pendoks are colour coded to show the rank of the wearer.

Traditional motifs can be read in the same way that those motifs are understood in batiks & other decorative arts. In some cases a pendok might carry a motif that relates to the wearer's character or profession, for example, in Bali a dancer might have a pendok with a dancer embossed on it.

However, I believe that in most cases the pendok fitted to a keris is simply one that the person who fitted it believes is a harmonious combination with the rest of the dress.

SidJ · 11th January 2025, 11:04 AM

Thanks Alan,
I am grateful for your thoughts.
Best
Sid

Pak Daud · 29th May 2025, 11:07 AM

Excellent pendok, Alan.
If I may add, there was a society way back in Javanese tradition as "Peranakan", a mixed-heritage of South East Asian to Mongoloid. Predominantly mainland Chinese origin.
At the era of early colonialism, these ethnics were also immersed onto Javanese culture. But in my argument, mostly inhabited upon northern part of Java. From Cirebon in West Java along the way to Surabaya in East Java.
Furthermore, it can distinctively seen upon their batik pattern. "Batik Pekalongan" (considered as batik Peranakan) and "Batik Kidulan" (means batik from southern part of Java i.e Jogja and Solo).
Hence, these motives are also etched upon pendok of a Keris.

Alan, to my best knowledge, in javanese classical "Nogo" or "Antaboga" (Dragon) were not always with claws in manacing pose with it's mustaches. Well most of it to be honest. I've been in many Keratons: Jogja, Solo, Cirebon and Kadipaten: Pakualaman and Mangkunegaran. Most of their dragons (Antaboga) are hardly depicted with manacing claws.
2. interconnected Puffing Cloud as well, are hardly in javanese style. In comparison of puffing cloud as in many wayang kulit, which was perceived as devata or in Kahyangan.

But you are right.
Java is clearly a super melting pot of cultures.
So to this beautiful pendok, if I may say, it has a touch of Java-Peranakan. As we way see on Batik Pekalongan.

Regards,
Daud.

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8th January 2025, 09:21 PM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	I thought it might have come from me, but I usually rely on memory with this sort of thing --- ie, what i once had & no longer do have --- & my memory banks are over-full, so I tend to forget things. However, if i said it was silver when I passed it to you, it is silver, I always test before I say someting is silver, its too easy to make a mistake. As to the motif. The word "semen" comes from "semi", it is the same root that gives us the "tunggak semi" planar jejeran/pegangan style, "semi" means to sprout, to blossom, to form a bud, the idea is representative of new life, a new start. In olden times the semen class of batik motifs were the prerogative of royalty. There are a lot of semen motifs and they can include a lot of sub-motifs, in your pendok the boomerang type things are supposedly representative of a tiered garden, but we can also see birds, a suggestion of serpents and foliage, the fan-like motif at the top of the pendok is supposedly representative of a peacock. I'm not expert in the reading of these motifs, and I rely to a large extent on two sources:- batik pattern books & the opinions of people who know vastly more than I do about Javanese art motifs.

10th January 2025, 09:32 AM	#2
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 290	Beautiful stuff. Thank you for sharing with us, Alan.

10th January 2025, 01:50 PM	#3
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 207	Thanks Alan, Stupid question but is there any link or association between the keris and the pending pattern? Complementary in some way? Or no connection at all?

10th January 2025, 08:11 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	No Sid, not really any cultural connection. If we look at old examples of Javanese pendok we find most of them are quite plain. The ethic is, and has been for a long time, that it is best to hide the nature of one's keris from the sight of others. If the characteristics of the keris itself are known, those characteristics can be used against the possessor of the keris. In various places & at various times, the gonjo of the keris was made without pamor, & the underlying reason for this was to effectively seal the nature of the keris from the knowledge of other people. However, a pendok can carry a message, & that message is not linked to the keris itself, but rather to the possessor or wearer of the keris. In kraton society the sunggingan pendoks are colour coded to show the rank of the wearer. Traditional motifs can be read in the same way that those motifs are understood in batiks & other decorative arts. In some cases a pendok might carry a motif that relates to the wearer's character or profession, for example, in Bali a dancer might have a pendok with a dancer embossed on it. However, I believe that in most cases the pendok fitted to a keris is simply one that the person who fitted it believes is a harmonious combination with the rest of the dress.

11th January 2025, 11:04 AM	#6
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 207	Thanks Alan, I am grateful for your thoughts. Best Sid

29th May 2025, 11:07 AM	#7
Pak Daud Member Join Date: May 2024 Posts: 6	Excellent pendok, Alan. If I may add, there was a society way back in Javanese tradition as "Peranakan", a mixed-heritage of South East Asian to Mongoloid. Predominantly mainland Chinese origin. At the era of early colonialism, these ethnics were also immersed onto Javanese culture. But in my argument, mostly inhabited upon northern part of Java. From Cirebon in West Java along the way to Surabaya in East Java. Furthermore, it can distinctively seen upon their batik pattern. "Batik Pekalongan" (considered as batik Peranakan) and "Batik Kidulan" (means batik from southern part of Java i.e Jogja and Solo). Hence, these motives are also etched upon pendok of a Keris. Alan, to my best knowledge, in javanese classical "Nogo" or "Antaboga" (Dragon) were not always with claws in manacing pose with it's mustaches. Well most of it to be honest. I've been in many Keratons: Jogja, Solo, Cirebon and Kadipaten: Pakualaman and Mangkunegaran. Most of their dragons (Antaboga) are hardly depicted with manacing claws. 2. interconnected Puffing Cloud as well, are hardly in javanese style. In comparison of puffing cloud as in many wayang kulit, which was perceived as devata or in Kahyangan. But you are right. Java is clearly a super melting pot of cultures. So to this beautiful pendok, if I may say, it has a touch of Java-Peranakan. As we way see on Batik Pekalongan. Regards, Daud.