Dagger

Dagger with straight black blade, with watery mottled patterning (pamor). Dark brown wood handle, faceted and slightly bent (“young shoot in tree trunk”), with two carvings (patra) on the inner side, possibly stylized representations of masks or monster (kala) faces. Yellow metal cup between blade and handle has beading top and bottom, with rows of balls and triangular prongs in between. Purchased separately from sheath 49-31-19B. One of a class of daggers called kris, defined by the widening at one side of the blade base. 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.