Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - What is the equivalent of "Wahyu" in other cultures?

fearn · 4th November 2009, 05:22 PM

Hi David,

Generally, the sword in the stone and Excalibur were different weapons. Is Disney the one that conflated them?

There's an interesting dichotomy that I think the keris terminology has caught: there are magical swords that can do things normal blades cannot do. This is similar to the isi concept (If I understand tuah, it's more of a categorical property than an individual one). This is Excalibur, which was given by, and returned to, the Lady in the Lake.

Then there's the pusaka concept, which is a keris that (as I understand it, and leaving out the spiritual dimension) legitimizes power and relationships. This is more of the Sword in the Stone, which was thrust into the stone by Arthur's father, as a means for recognizing his rightful heir after his death. The concepts are not identical, but then, the concept of pusaka being tied into a weapon is not so common in European folklore, I think.

4th November 2009, 05:22 PM	#21
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hi David, Generally, the sword in the stone and Excalibur were different weapons. Is Disney the one that conflated them? There's an interesting dichotomy that I think the keris terminology has caught: there are magical swords that can do things normal blades cannot do. This is similar to the isi concept (If I understand tuah, it's more of a categorical property than an individual one). This is Excalibur, which was given by, and returned to, the Lady in the Lake. Then there's the pusaka concept, which is a keris that (as I understand it, and leaving out the spiritual dimension) legitimizes power and relationships. This is more of the Sword in the Stone, which was thrust into the stone by Arthur's father, as a means for recognizing his rightful heir after his death. The concepts are not identical, but then, the concept of pusaka being tied into a weapon is not so common in European folklore, I think.