Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

A. G. Maisey · 28th November 2017, 07:59 PM

I believe that it is pretty well established that the figural hilts serve a protective function, whether demon, ancestor, historic or mythical personage, or deity, they are all there to protect the sacred keris.

The keris itself, that is, the wilah, can be viewed in a similar way to the Meru, or shrine, itself symbolic of Mt. Meru and along with all of the other relationships, so it makes sense to have something to protect the wilah against possible entry by evil elements.

Its a similar idea to the protective lions at the entry to temples in other parts of Asia.

28th November 2017, 07:59 PM	#31
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,704	I believe that it is pretty well established that the figural hilts serve a protective function, whether demon, ancestor, historic or mythical personage, or deity, they are all there to protect the sacred keris. The keris itself, that is, the wilah, can be viewed in a similar way to the Meru, or shrine, itself symbolic of Mt. Meru and along with all of the other relationships, so it makes sense to have something to protect the wilah against possible entry by evil elements. Its a similar idea to the protective lions at the entry to temples in other parts of Asia.