translation please Cojang/Rudus Atjeh

[mohd]

Hi Willem, I got your message, anyhow I'm not a real good help in translating the inscription either

Hi Dom, Tunggul and others, you all had done great

Originally Posted by asomotif

.. But this Rudus / Cojang appears to have some inscription on the handle ..

First, IMVHO it is a Rudus but not a Kujang (i.e. spelled in Dutch as Cojang). It is a weapon of Bengkulu (i.e. Bencoolen). And a couple of them are shown in the current emblem of Bengkulu.



Back to the translation of the inscription, from right to left, that's the way to read Jawi writings, and the first word is the most difficult one to read:

1. The first word: Might be QDMR (i.e. read as QADMIR which is a name of a person) or SHR (i.e. read as SHAHR which means the month)
2. The second word: I'm sure it's a HJRT (i.e. read as HIJRAH which is the name of the Islamic calendar)
3. The third word: I'm sure it's a SNT (i.e. read as SANAH which means the year of)
4. The fourth word: I'm sure it's a numerical characters of 1278 which represent the year of 1278 Hihrah (i.e. in between of Tuesday 9 July 1861 C.E. and Saturday 28 June 1862 C.E.)
5. The whole inscription: Most probably the transliteration are "SHAHR HIJRAH SANAH 1278" (i.e. direct translation: The month of Hijrah in the year of 1278) which can be freely translated as "this rudus is made in the Islamic era in Bengkulu sometimes in the year of 1278 Hijrah"

Hope it make sense, Willem

And hope it helps a little

mohd

[asomotif]

I'm not a real good help in translating the inscription either

Dear Mohd,

Thanks for your modesty. You are sure of 75% of the inscription.
Sound like a very good help in translating imho

Maurice's (shopping list)scabbard which you helped translating has a small inscription in a western language, and probably even dutch.
Never the less, both Maurice an I are not able to read it. (yet)

Very interesting to know that in fact this is an inscription stating the age.
Rather unusual on indionesian weapons. so very nice to have such a piece in the collection.

And indeed, if I follow the book by forumite Albert van Zonneveld (tranditional weapons etc..) I would also call this a rudus. However, under the name cojang, there is a similar blade with as only difference just another style of hilt (hulu tapa guda). BUt as from now a Rudus it is.

Thanks and best regards,
Willem