Quote:
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Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
...(snip) We see all this artistic variety and abstraction in Javanese keris handles, and we would not be human if we did not try to affix identities to those hilt figures.However, the truth could be vastly different from our hypotheses, and at this remove it is impossible know with any certainty what that truth may be.Most especially is it impossible in the case of representation bearing a set of unique characteristics that prevents it being aligned with known and acknowledged forms.
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Alan,
Probably I misunderstood your earlier posts on what you wanted to state with your questions.
As well as the "societal dominance by Islam"-part.
On the quote above it seems like we agree.
You who don't want to give a public opinion based on that you can't prove it for sure (which I of course respect as the proper professional way).
And I who, being human
, can't help to speculate in an identity. But I specify it as a "could be" and that "I am open to other suggestions". The reason for this is of course that I am curious on other people's, like yours, Tunggulametung's and other forumites', ideas on this hilt. This even if we probably never will be able to 100% prove what it actually was supposed to be and symbolize.
Michael