Help with Identification please

[A. G. Maisey]

Detlef, Cedric asked for clarification of the role of the hilt in respect of Javanese keris, and he nominated the period prior to +/-1850.

Now you ask "--- what is with ---Gana hilts---?"

Why limit the question to only this hilt style?

We can find many hilt forms in the Javanese keris that are continuations of pre-Islamic Javanese traditions, and we can hypothesize in respect of these hilt forms until the cows come home, but to provide a definitive, supportable response to a clear, concise question is a different matter altogether.

If the point of this exercise is to be a parade of all the hypotheses that float around Javanese hilt forms, then let us declare the party open.

If the point of the exercise is to be to provide a solid, supportable response to a very worthwhile question, then perhaps somebody amongst us can provide the answers that I cannot.