Execution keris panjang ? Age ??

[David]

Originally Posted by Jean

The sampir and hilt of your kris are really unusual and may originate from East Java?

Hey Jean, since this "sampir" seems to originate in East Jawa, why not call it a wrongko?
Francantolin, i basically concur with what Jean has told you. Personally i'm not generally a fan of referring to these keris panjang as "execution keris". This is not to say that these keris were never used as such, but, as Jean has pointed out, these are status keris. They were not designed specifically to execute. I believe this idea has developed because firstly these blades are longer than the usually keris and seem like they would be more effective for the method of execution that has been described where the keris is inserted from above at the top of the shoulder and driven downward into the heart and secondly (perhaps) because those who hold the status to carry such blades might also have the power to decree executions.

[Jean]

Originally Posted by David

Hey Jean, since this "sampir" seems to originate in East Jawa, why not call it a wrongko?

Well, I am not definitely sure that the scabbard & hilt of this kris originate from East Java, it could be a local Sumatran style or just the imagination of the maker, and other opinions are welcome.

[David]

Well, i was willing to accept somewhere in Jawa, but i've been wrong before.

[francantolin]

Hello,
Thank you David and Jean !!
Here other pictures of the ''special'' sampir

Kind regards

[David]

Well, it's kind of a wonky fit, but i'm not convinced that necessarily means that it wasn't actually made for this blade since it is obviously work done by a non-professional carver.

[Jean]

I agree and the hilt seems to have been made by the same "master carver"

[GIO]

My opinion is that there was the need to dress a bare blade and somebody carved a rough hilt in an approximate Java style. As to the scabbard it probably was also roughly made for another blade, possibly by the same carver.