Dagger
| Native Name | Kris |
|---|---|
| Object Number: | 42-30-445A |
| Current Location: | Collections Storage |
| Culture: | Javanese |
| Provenience: | Java Majapahit |
| Section: | Oceanian |
| Materials: | Metal |
| Length: | 23.5 cm |
| Width: | 4.8 cm |
| Credit Line: | Gift of Mrs. Morgan Wing on behalf of the Estate of Florence C. Whitney, 1942 |
| Other Number: | 300 - Other Number |
Description
Small dagger with blade and handle forged from the same piece of iron, widening asymmetrically at base. The blade is broad and slightly wavy (3 curves?), with some watery patterning (pamor). The handle is a seated human figure, bending sideways and forward. Majahapit style, possibly from the era of the Javanese Majahapit kingdom (1293 to circa 1500). An example of the oldest type 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.
Current & Past Exhibitions:
| Weapons and Defense (27 Oct 1951 - 06 Jan 1952) | View Objects in Exhibition |
Bibliography:
| [Book] Frey, Edward. 1988. The Kris: Mystic Weapon of the Malay World.. Oxford University Press. Type Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: p. 10 Fig. 5 (f) | View Objects related to this Type Citation |
| [Book] 2011. Kris Hilts: Masterpieces of South-East Asian Art.. Milan. Type Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: pp. 20-21 | View Objects related to this Type Citation |
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