"Buginees 'Executioners' Keris" for comment

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Atlantia

Hi Detlef

Ah yes, I see.
Here are the pictures

Hi mate,

seems to be a dress made for the blade. And not a recent one like the dark inner patination shows. I would guess that the sheath was overworked or restored.
Would like to read opinions from our members from Southeast Asia.

Best regards,

Detlef

[Rick]

The blade is quite ragged looking; I think any edge features that may seem unusual are a result of corrosion through etching and age .
It is not uncommon to see a blade from one island in the dress of another .
The fit of the blade in the scabbard is not quite what I'd like to see .
Maybe an older wrongko with a newer gandar and buntut for a scabbard .

[Henk]

Hi Gene,

Very nice keris indeed. But not an executioners keris as we dutch call it or a keris panjang. I have a very old book in dutch wich describes an execution with a keris panjang or executioners keris. When your keris would be used to perform an execution it would give too much mess.

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by Henk

Hi Gene,

Very nice keris indeed. But not an executioners keris as we dutch call it or a keris panjang. I have a very old book in dutch wich describes an execution with a keris panjang or executioners keris. When your keris would be used to perform an execution it would give too much mess.

LOL< thanks Henk.
That was the original collectors description so possibly a sales device fo the trader who sold it to him.
I always take that description with a pinch of salt hence the '' around it.
I'm more than happy for it to not have been used for such a ghastly purpose.
It's a good size though!

[Henk]

Originally Posted by Atlantia

LOL< thanks Henk.
That was the original collectors description so possibly a sales device fo the trader who sold it to him.
I always take that description with a pinch of salt hence the '' around it.
I'm more than happy for it to not have been used for such a ghastly purpose.
It's a good size though!

You're welcome Gene.

That's usually said here. Buy the weapon not the story.

Ghastly purpose, well, as long as it isn't used against you or me.
As the description tells, one could pass on a few meters without noticing an execution with a keris panjang is done. It is rather painless because the narrow long blade is driven from the collar bone right into the heart. The victim is chewing on a bettelnut which works anaesthetic. Then the blade is excavated while the executioner has cotton fiber on both sites of the blade to clean the blade. When the blade is completely removed the cotton fibber is pushed into the small wound. When done well no blood is visible. By the way, such an execution was only done by command of the sultan.

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by Henk

You're welcome Gene.

That's usually said here. Buy the weapon not the story.

Ghastly purpose, well, as long as it isn't used against you or me.
As the description tells, one could pass on a few meters without noticing an execution with a keris panjang is done. It is rather painless because the narrow long blade is driven from the collar bone right into the heart. The victim is chewing on a bettelnut which works anaesthetic. Then the blade is excavated while the executioner has cotton fiber on both sites of the blade to clean the blade. When the blade is completely removed the cotton fibber is pushed into the small wound. When done well no blood is visible. By the way, such an execution was only done by command of the sultan.

Hi Henk
Thats a pretty horrible description!
I'm more glad than ever it wasn't used for that.

[kai]

Hello Gene,

Thats a pretty horrible description!
I'm more glad than ever it wasn't used for that.

You can't be sure though! (Feel free to send it my way if this makes you feel better. )

In the "good ol' days" death penalties were handed out way more frequently just about worldwide than today. If I remember correctly, execution by a keris was considered the honorable version while the really bad guys (or folks unlucky enough to belong to the lower stratum of society) were facing even more ghastly alternatives... (This is akin to execution by the sword vs. hanging or torture in medieval Europe.)

I also seem to remember that (on Java?) it was just as likely to have ones keris turned against oneself for this purpose rather than risk sullying another person's keris with bad fate.

Regards,
Kai