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Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
...It is probable that this handle was intended to represent some being, however, did the carver know what being it was supposed to represent, or was he following an earlier pattern and adding his own embellishments?
Can we date this handle with reasonable certainty?
Having dated it, can we say that the carver was working from an earlier handle of similar pattern?
Or can we assume that he was working from an earlier handle with a less abstracted form?
Or can we accept that he created this handle form anew from an idea that he himself originated?
(snip)
I have a collection of a very large number of keris handles. I do not know exactly how many I have, but I do know that I have well over 100 handles made of ivory. When these handles are sorted into groups bearing similar characteristics, it is possible to identify recurring themes, and observe variations. Moving from end to end of the range in variation can produce figures at either end of the range that bear little resemblance to each other...
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Alan,
Please note that I wrote that it "could be a Yaksha?".
Of course it's hard to say that it definately is one.
What IMHO speaks against some of your, otherwise valid, arguments above is that specifically this hilt seems to be quite unique in its form/pattern.
Do you f.i. in your large hilt collection have two hilts that overall resembles this one in style?
I haven't found any in the museum archives that I know of. The closest one in style is the Java-Kalimantan-flower-holding-old-magic-hilt pictured in for instance the Budaya Indonesia book on page 211.
I am also a bit sceptical to that everything changed after "societal dominance by Islam".
To me it's obvious that a lot of old Hindu beliefs and rituals still is practiced on Java today. They even have kept their old Sanskrit names!
Christendom has dominated southern Europe for quite some time but over 1000 years afterwards you still could see motifs and symbolism from the old Greco-Roman religion. Up here in North of Europe still 1000 - 1200 years after we got "christened" (in the 9th C) the same could be noticed regarding traditions and symbolism of the old Norse religion. Like a typical Swedish Midsummer celebration.
Some symbolism, traditions and beliefs seems to survive a very long time after a new religion has gained dominance. In my experience this is especially valid within magic, talismans, protective and fertility needs etc.
Michael