Dagger

Dagger with wavy blade (3 shallow curves), widening asymmetrically at base. Raised median ridge both sides. Flanking the ridge, bands of gold leafy vines. The bent, honey-colored ivory handle is densely and deeply carved as a stylized figure, covered with curled tendrils: possibly a stylized demon (raksasa). A zig-zag band around the top may represent the points of a crown. The metal ring and cup between the blade and the handle are decorated with rows of tiny balls and a band of curling vines. One of a class of daggers called kris, defined by the widening at one side of the blade base. A similar hilt is illustrated in "Kris Hilts: Masterpieces of South-East Asian Art," with the comment: "Some experts believe this hilt to come from north-eastern Sumatra." Kris are not only weapons but also works of art and objects of mythical, ritual, and ceremonial significance: in 2005, UNESCO gave the title “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” to the kris of Indonesia.