Bali ceremonial knife

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hi Gene,

look post # 16 of this thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13443, a name I have heard on Bali as well.

Regards,

Detlef

Hi Detlef,

Thanks, that clears it up nicely.
So tiuk pengentas it is!

[VVV]

I have noticed that the old ones usually don't have the swastika pattern, so maybe it's the other way around?
Here are two blurry cell phone pictures I shot when visiting the Klungkung palace museum. There seems to be a difference between the ceremonial axe and this "household knife", both in use and name.

Michael

PS I have one and used to have an additional that I traded. One is plain and the other have an ornamented blade. Both of them have this kind of scabbard, old style makara hilt, the "monster" protrusion and inlay on the back of the blade.
I suspect that the makara hilt, more than if there is inlay on the blade, is an age indicator.

[Battara]

Ok, so this one I have was also used for funeral services as well?

I know it is ceremonial and like the one in your pictures above. Also there is heavily silver koftgari on both sides.

[Sajen]

Hello all,

here the answer I just received from Bali:

Dear Detlef,
Thank you for your email and the link, of course I still remember you. I try to give a small information about "tiuk pengentas", in Bali we use tiuk pengentas as one of a must thing for cremation ceremony, to open the wrap of the body we use tiuk pengentas which symbolize to open another word for the soul,and hope that the soul will get a good way. after we bring the body to cemetery, we also use tiuk pengentas to open the tie of the buffalo statue, there is a hole inside the buffalo to put the body and burning the body inside.
I hope my little explanation can give you a little information.
kindly regards,
Ketut Karang


I have asked him further questions and will post his answer here when I have received it.
Regards,

Detlef

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Battara

Ok, so this one I have was also used for funeral services as well?

I know it is ceremonial and like the one in your pictures above. Also there is heavily silver koftgari on both sides.

Hello Jose,

yes, I think so.

[Sajen]

Just received the second mail:

Dear Detlef,
the form or the style also the size of the tiuk pengentas can be different but he purpose is the same, they can make more beautiful with ukiran or just a simple one, of course the rich people or king family will make it a nice one, but we cannot say that the good knife is for king family or high caste, everybody can have a good or a simple one as they like.
kindly regards,
Ketut Karang

So it's relatively simple why there are different styles found from the tiuk pengentas and no special reason why are found inlaid blades with which ornament or "monster head".

Regards,

Detlef

[Battara]

Great information and contacts, right from the horse's mouth so to speak.

Thank you.

[VVV]

Detlef,

Are you sure that your Balinese friend responded to the same knife that was originally posted on this thread?
To me it seems like he describes the axe, not the knife?
Except my picture from the Klungkung Palace here is another reference

http://pande.balidenpasartrading.com...p?ipn=21&top=9

And below from an earlier thread from the Denpasar museum.

I tried Leiden but unfortunately they don't have any domestic name on it.
Michael