Keris Banjarmasin

[BluErf]

Banjarmasin hilts - i.e. those covered with intan-intan (rough cut diamonds) - are made into all sorts of hilt forms, such as the 7-planar Javanese type, the Jawa demam type and the kerdas type shown here. This is not surprising, in my opinion, given that Banjarmasin sits at a confluence of cultures and along established intra-archipelago trade routes.

I have seen a Banjarmasin hilt on a South Sumatran keris, sourced from Sumatra. Coupled with the East Javanese keris (judging from the sheath) that Michael has above, I think there could be a case of Banjarmasin hilts made for export. Hence, the availability of hilts made to various forms.

I agree that the more distinctive Banjarmasin keris sheath is that gayaman-alike style with rounded daun-daun tips, like that posted by Naga Sasra. Sometimes, the hilt may be normal wooden ones, in jawa demam form, covered in geometrical motifs.

On the Bugis-style pistol-grip Banjarmasin hilts, I thought they are more heavily decorated because of stylistic preferences, just like Minang Kabau jawa demam hilts are more heavily carved compared to Riau and S. Malayan jawa demam hilts. The kerdas hilt is most likely an evolved form of the jawa demam. If the jawa demam is an abstract garuda, then the kerdas hilt would also be an abstract garuda. The Banjarmasin hilt is probably more of a case of floral motif evolution than a return to the recognition that the kerdas hilt is garuda, I thought. This is a topic for a separate discussion though.