Possibly ancestors, possibly deities, possibly protective beings, possibly ancestors deified, possibly deified ancestors as protective figures --- possibly --- possibly --- possibly ---
--- and the reason for the distilled figures in the first place? Again a number of possibilities ---
--- and what about the original figures from which these planar hilt carvings have possibly been distilled?
Well, just as many possibilities there too.
The really great thing about Javanese symbolism is that it is almost unlimited, except by imagination. It is multi symbolism, and one thing can be interpreted in a number of different ways, dependent upon the situation and the person doing the interpreting --- and what side of the bed he got out of.
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