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Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
In Javanese/Balinese art motifs, a figure with fangs is identifiable as demon.
Raksasa is a male ogre, raksasi is a female ogre, an ogre is actually a monster that eats human flesh.
Thus when we call these types of hilts "raksasa" we're being pretty general, its pretty loose terminology.Maybe a bit more "Collectorese".
If we look at origins and turn to Hindu beliefs, what we find is that rakshasas & rakshasis are shape shifters, and not all of them are necessarily bad guys.
If we were going to get really pedantic we probably should only use the term "raksasa" for demons that haunt cemeteries and eat human flesh.
Anyway, Athanase's hilt has got fangs, thus it is a demon. Raksasa is probably OK. If we don't call him a raksasa, what do we call him?
Squatting ancestor with fangs Jean? Interesting idea.
Ancestors eventually become one with their deities, and often are depicted in pit burial mode. But with fangs?
So why are these demons used as hilt figures? Are they all demons? Maybe they're guardians? Or maybe they really are demons and their purpose is keep the really bad guys away from the sacred Meru.Lots of room there for discussion.
I think we've visited this previously.
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Thank you Alan, and demon is indeed a better generic term than raksasa or ancestor. Do you know what "buta bajang" (the local name for these squatting demon hilts) mean?
I attach the pic of an old raksasa hilt (holding a human arm in his left hand).
Regards