P a t r e m -- The Smaller Keris

[David]

Originally Posted by ganjawulung

Yes David,
Similar example as the book I trusted much on keris, De Kris. It was inaccurate when it mentioned "keris sajen" (small kerises for offering) as "keris majapahit". It misled many people outside Indonesia, (many western writers continued that error) that keris from Majapahit era was only like that.

Ganjawulung

very true...

[ganjawulung]

In many occasions, in a couple of keris book, this "mini keris", patrem size keris with handle and blade in one piece, often called as "keris majapahit". Or "keris pichit" in Malay term. (Please see, pictures, and comparison to the normal Javanese keris)

Just see the older books, like De Kris (Magic Relic of Old Indonesia) which was written by Mr Ing GJFJ Tammens (page 114-115), or the Malaysian book "The Keris and Other Malay Weapons" (AH Hill, GC Woolley, HC Keith, GM Laidlaw, GB Gardner, E Banks and Abu Bakar bin Pawanchee).

Even Mr Hill, mentioned more than once in the glossary of keris term, that "keris majapahit is earliest form of keris; hilt and blade in one piece". (page 71 and 131). Mr Gardner even divided, between "male and female" of "keris majapahit".

Keris Majapahit "jantan" (male) according to Gardner, was forged by a male smith with final tempering by being drawn under armpit (Gardner, 1936:43), and Keris Majapahit "perempuan" (female) forge by a female smith with inter vulva tempering (loc cit) page 71.

Mr Gardner wrote about Keris Majapahit (quote) "during twenty years in Malaya I have heard many stories about Keris Majapahit and Keris Pichit, but I have seen only eight Keris Majapahit and three Pichit altogether..." (page 158).

Mr Woolley even mentioned in the Malay book, that "Keris Majapahit was the early dagger of the Majapahit empire) and the figure is of the same size and type..."

Mr Abu Bakar bin Pawanchee wrote about "An Unusual Keris Majapahit" which has the handle faces the edge on the side of the dagu (chin). Page 170.

If those were the only true types of Majapahit kerises, then, it was so sad. Because Majapahit was a glorious era of keris making in Java -- in styles, in dhapur, metal material, and quite eye-catching to recognize that those keris came from Majapahit, or at least -- with Majapahit style. The diverse of kerises through the Archipelago, was happened in this era, and the earlier era of Singasari (see, the Pamalayu Expedition during the reign of King Kertanegara from Singasari 1275. Melayu -- part of Sumatera now, was occupied by Kertanegara's soldier in 1286. See Prof Dr Slamet Muljana in "The Fall of the Javanese Hindu Kingdoms and the Rise of Islamic States in Nusantara" 1968)

Then, what was actually the "Keris Majapahit" as many western writers wrote? Those smaller kerises, were actually "keris sajen" (keris for offerings, according to Mr Bambang Harsrinuksmo -- ensiklopedi keris). And according to Mr Haryono Haryoguritno, those are "seking" or mini keris used for offering. For instance, in a Javanese ritual ceremony of "tedhak siti" (a little child begins to learn walking to the ground). At the ceremony, Javanese people in the old days usually gave offering consist of fruits and small keris, mini keris, sajen keris... Are those really the only kerises from Majapahit?

Ganjawulung

[PenangsangII]

Pak Ganja & fellow keris lovers,

Definitely not Pak ganja, and I thought I asked the same question in the "Majapahit Revisited" thread. And I totally agree with you that during Kertanegara's to Hayam Wuruk's reign (and even during the last years of Majapahit's glorious empire), there must be a lot of keris daphurs created by the palace artisans, not to mention the daphurs created by the famous Empu Supa. So, I also tend to agree that the glory of keris making were so prevalent during Majapahit era for Jawa keris, and subsequently the whole archipelago. There was also an opinion from a good friend, even the Pattani / Malay keris (Pandai Saras) originated from a Majapahit fugitive empu's creation mixed with the local taste & battle requirement.

Penangsang

[David]

Keris Mojopahit (sajen) has been a point of confusion for some time know, but i don't think anyone here thinks they were the only keris to be made during the Mojopahit period (and indeed most of the keris sajen now on the market were made in later periods, many right up to the present day )
I am fairly sure Tammens didn't believe the keris sajen were the only keris from the Mojopahit era because he shows many keris in his first volume which he IDs as being Mojopahit. Though i don't own the Gardner book i suspect he was conciously relating folk tale, not fact, when he wrote about unusual methods of tempering blades.
Hill's statement that "keris majapahit is earliest form of keris; hilt and blade in one piece" does not mean he was unaware of more developed blades in the Mojopahit period. It was just his belief, perhaps flawed, that the keris sajen is the "earliest" form. The same can be said of Woolley.
AFAIK keris mojopahit (sajen) and keris pichit do not refer to the same thing. I thought keris pichit referred to those talismanic blades that had the impressions of the makers fingertips along the blade.
Certainly these writers got many other points wrong, but i think they were all aware keris sajen were not the only keris to be made in the Mojopahit period.

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by David

Keris Mojopahit (sajen) has been a point of confusion for some time know, but i don't think anyone here thinks they were the only keris to be made during the Mojopahit period (and indeed most of the keris sajen now on the market were made in later periods, many right up to the present day )
I am fairly sure Tammens didn't believe the keris sajen were the only keris from the Mojopahit era because he shows many keris in his first volume which he IDs as being Mojopahit. Though i don't own the Gardner book i suspect he was conciously relating folk tale, not fact, when he wrote about unusual methods of tempering blades.
Hill's statement that "keris majapahit is earliest form of keris; hilt and blade in one piece" does not mean he was unaware of more developed blades in the Mojopahit period. It was just his belief, perhaps flawed, that the keris sajen is the "earliest" form. The same can be said of Woolley.

Yes, David, I agree with you...
What's hanging in my mind everytime I open all pages of "The Keris and Other Malay Weapons" (1998) is, how come? The very small keris -- that the writers called as "keris majapahit" -- took quite a lot of proportions, compared to the whole content of the book. Almost mentioned in every article, and as if it is the center point of comparison with other bigger kerises in that book...

Please regard the GC Woolley article, under title "Origin of the Malay Keris". In the second alinea, it said: ..."The surviving specimens of the oldest Majapahit keris -- the Keris Pichit and Keris Majapahit -- seem of all the many patterns of keris the most unlikely to have been evolved from spear blades and the most likely to have been made as talismans rather than for actual use..."

Did Mr Woolley was aware, that there were many-many-many more real "keris majapahit" in the Java Courts? And what about Singasari keris, in the period before Majapahit? And did he know, the relief in Borobudur temple (around 9th century) showed (budha) keris in the hips of a human carving?

And what about ancient inscriptions (epigraphies, prasasti) such as prasasti Humanding (797 Saka or 875 CE), Jurungan (798 Saka or 876 CE), Haliwangbang (798 Saka or 876 CE), Taji (823 Saka or 901 CE), Poh (827 Saka or 905 CE), Rukam (829 Saka or 907 CE), Sangsang (829 Saka or 907 CE), Wakajana (829 Saka or 907 CE), and Sanggaran (850 Saka or 928 CE) that mentioned about keris? And not mentioned, many kakawin (old poems) like Kidung Harsa Wijaya or old important books on Singasari and Majapahit in 13th century like Pararaton, and Babad Tanah Jawi?

And Mr Gardner wrote especially on "keris pichit and keris majapahit" under title "Notes on Two Uncommon Varieties of the Malay Keris" which referring to Gardner's experience (only heard many stories) and only seen eight keris majapahit and three Pichit altogether....

Mr Abu Bakar bin Pawanchee, also wrote a special article under title of "An Unusual Keris Majapahit". The ultra big proportion of writing such small "keris for offering" for "stamping the predicate Majapahit" for such big era or keris making in Java -- that was really astonishing...

And what is the result? The image of "keris majapahit" is only "keris sajen". Yes, the connotation of "majapahit" is only "small sajen", "small offering". As if there were no other kerises during that golden era of keris making...

That is just my peanut opinion, on what I have read...

Ganjawulung

[Alam Shah]

I think this had strayed from the original topic. It's an interesting point which warrant another topic by itself. I took the liberty to created another thread where we can discuss on the topic.

[David]

Thanks Shahrial, that's a great idea for a thread.