indonesian blades ? Exact Origin ?

[A. G. Maisey]

Regarding applicable names.

"Lading terus" is a Malay term, it is not a term that is used in Jawa.

Both these tombak would be called a tombak in Jawa.

If a completely new set of dress had been made they would probably be called a "tombak, stel golok" , at least in Solo that would be the case, and probably in the rest of Central Jawa too.

But the base, operative word would be tombak, this is because the blade of the tombak is the tombak, in the same way that the blade of the keris is the keris. It does not change its name simply because it changes its dress, if it is necessary, the dress is described separately.

From memory I think it was Gardner who gave us "lading terus"; in Malay as spoken on the Peninsula this term may make sense, but in Javanese & Indonesian it is nonsense.

One of the problems with the way in which the keris and the tombak are seen in the societies which have taken these items of cultural heritage from their place of origin is that the mental attitude towards them is somewhat different.

Frankly, neither of the sets of dress on these two tombak look to be indigenous to my eye. It is entirely possible that this dress may have been made in S.E.Asia, but I would guess, more likely by a dealer or collector in that area, than by the people who regard these things as cultural heritage.