A Balinese Keris (?) for discussion

A. G. Maisey · 6th December 2016, 10:54 AM

Not all Balinese dress is a sarung up to the armpits. That is formal dress, mostly for aristocrats and bridegrooms.

Usual attire is sarung --- or was a sarung, these days its Levis.

Formal dress requires a larger than life keris with the hilt up over the shoulder.

With normal daily dress a keris was usually smaller, often about the same as an old-time Jawa keris.

Very, very often blades revered as pusaka blades in Bali were made in Jawa.

We're used to seeing big finely made keris and thinking of them as typical Bali.

George Gershwin : Porgy & Bess : Sportin' Life

Look at this keris. Forget that you think you know where it comes from.

What do you see?

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6th December 2016, 10:54 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,994	Not all Balinese dress is a sarung up to the armpits. That is formal dress, mostly for aristocrats and bridegrooms. Usual attire is sarung --- or was a sarung, these days its Levis. Formal dress requires a larger than life keris with the hilt up over the shoulder. With normal daily dress a keris was usually smaller, often about the same as an old-time Jawa keris. Very, very often blades revered as pusaka blades in Bali were made in Jawa. We're used to seeing big finely made keris and thinking of them as typical Bali. George Gershwin : Porgy & Bess : Sportin' Life Look at this keris. Forget that you think you know where it comes from. What do you see?