Kocet-Kocetan hilt form

[drdavid]

Just to put in another bit of information, Karsten Sejr Jensen in his Kris disc (chapter 7 pge 10) mentions this about the Kocet-Kocetan hilt form

A very special hilt is the so called Kocet-Kocetan hilt, which represents the capricorn beetle or mantis religiosa. Martin Kerner thinks that this particular beetle was the totem animal of the Brahmans. According to mythology the beetle is said to be their ancestor for which reason it is reserved them alone to wear krisses with this hilt19. It is possible that this is the case, but the hilt is mainly found in South Bali, so it is more likely that it is connected with the principalities there, being their special hilt

I dont think it is a praying mantis (mantis religiosa) but the Capricorn beetles are members of the cerambycidae family that Fearn mentioned
David