Toraja hit

[Marcokeris]

This old Sulawesi keris Hit is strange and for me is a good example of an ancient tradition (tribal arcaic tradition, not classic tradiction) direct not only to a classic weapon (keris) but also to classic sulawesi style handle (the sides of base of handle)
This hit has thin metal foil strongly pressed over a complete wood's body.
Over the foil the hit maker has traced the pattern of the underlyne wood.

[Battara]

What metal is used?

[Alam Shah]

Interesting hilt. Over the years, I've seen many but nothing that looks like this hilt. The base looks like those older Bima hilts from Sulawesi. But I wonder about this one, it significance and what it represents. Hmmm...

[Marcokeris]

Battara,I don'tknow. Probabily something like copper and zinc

[Battara]

Well, copper and zinc would together make bronze.

[Marcokeris]

Battara, brass

[ganjawulung]

Marco, in Javanese term, the figure at your hilt is known as "puthut kembar" or twin-priest. But I don't think that Sulawesi's term is such like that. Usually, puthut kembar is a name of dhapur betok (short but wide old keris) with two figures of priests (pendhita or puthut) in the "gandhik" (front-base of the keris) and "wadidang" (rear base). Many Javanese like this dhapur. So, there are many "fake puthut" in the market. Buat actually, betok or keris with puthut kembar motive, usually attractive...

[Battara]

My apologies - copper and tin make bronze. :o

[Marcokeris]

Marco, in Javanese term, the figure at your hilt is known as "puthut kembar" or twin-priest. But I don't think that Sulawesi's term is such like that. Usually, puthut kembar is a name of dhapur betok (short but wide old keris) with two figures of priests (pendhita or puthut) in the "gandhik" (front-base of the keris) and "wadidang" (rear base). Many Javanese like this dhapur. So, there are many "fake puthut" in the market. Buat actually, betok or keris with puthut kembar motive, usually attractive...

Hallo Ganja
I don't think that the figure in the hilt is influenced by javanese "puthut kembar" . I have only a photo of this handle. From this photo is not possible to see that one face is a skull , the other is a person.

I think that this toraja hilt has some arcaic influence common to all primitive people in any place of world.
Is possible to see the same figure also in some dayak statue. Also in african and oceanic statue is easy to see the figure of two person back against back. Also in Italy during the old "roman" classic period there was the figure of "Janus" a god with two opposite faces: one to see inside, the other to see outside.

[ganjawulung]

Or maybe puthut kembar was influenced by those primitive figures. Of course according to Javanese interpretation. But again and again: .... it's maybe yes, maybe no.. Thanks for the explanation, Marco.