As things have been quiet on the board for a while I thought I would ask a question that has been on my mind for some time. What is the purpose of the greneng? From my reading there seem to be three basic theories, firstly that it cut down on the amount of blood that travelled from blade to handle and thus made the keris easier to hold in combat, secondly that it was designed to catch or deflect an opponents blade, so part guard part disarming strategy and finally that it was an opportunity for the craftsman to exhibit his skills. Does anyone have any evidence that one or more of these are correct? I must say theory one seems a little implausible to me, 2 makes more sense biomechanically and 3 makes marketing sense.
cheers
DrD