Javanese Keris (Kris) Dagger with Early 17th C Blade

SKU: ED1495 Category:

Description

A Javanese Keris Solo, with early 17th century blade . From the Regency of Sultan Agung
I, from the Sultanate of Mataram. The Keris with a hand-forged ‘11 Luk’ waved Wilah
(blade) with two short pierced fullers, consisting of Pamor steel forged in different layers of
iron (pattern type: ‘Beras Wutah Tretep’). Dapur in ‘Cherita’ (Elephant trunk shape). Nickel
Mendak (cuff) with remains of gilding between hilt and blade. Ukiran (hilt) in ‘Yudo
Winatan’ shape, and carved from Tayuman wood. Warangka (scabbard throat) of
‘Gayaman Kagok’ type (kidney shaped) and made from hand-carved colored Trembalo
wood. Gandar (scabbard body) with brass Pendok (cover) featuring embossed foliate
decoration. Length of the blade, including ‘Pesi’ (tang of the blade): 16 1/4″, overall 18
1/8″.

The Sultanate of Mataram was the last major independent Javanese kingdom on Java
before the Dutch colonized this island. It was the dominant political force radiating from
the interior Central Java from the late 16th Century until the beginning of the 18th Century.
Mataram reached its peak of power during the reign of Sultan Agung Hanyokrokusumo (c.
1613-1645), and began to decline after his death in 1645. By the mid-18th Century,
Mataram lost both power and territory to the Dutch East India Company (VOC). From
there on It became a vassal state of the company by 1749.