Small Bugis Sepokal

[Gustav]

Thank you, David.

The "dress Keris" theory is perhaps the most safe guess. There are many of such small Kerisses from Sulawesi around, but complex Pamor is seldom seen. I think, for a pure dress Keris (Selit) the blade ceases to be the most important part; so, if we see well crafted examples with more elaborate Pamor there perhaps is a possibility of an intended heirloom blade (as is mostly the case with Badik).

For example, in some editions of "Court Arts of Indonesia" a state Keris of Gowa is depicted - I attach a picture of it. The length of the blade is not given, yet it should be about 25-27 cm (the overall length in sheath about 40 cm).

Just to prove that there is a possibility of a small Bugis blade in a normal size sheath, there is another Keris, possibly also from Gowa (the attributions of Tropenmuseum are sometimes quite... adventurous), 27 cm, the overall length is given as 40 cm (Inv. Nr. RV-1526-39).