Keris Banjarmasin

[BluErf]

Banjarmasin hilts - i.e. those covered with intan-intan (rough cut diamonds) - are made into all sorts of hilt forms, such as the 7-planar Javanese type, the Jawa demam type and the kerdas type shown here. This is not surprising, in my opinion, given that Banjarmasin sits at a confluence of cultures and along established intra-archipelago trade routes.

I have seen a Banjarmasin hilt on a South Sumatran keris, sourced from Sumatra. Coupled with the East Javanese keris (judging from the sheath) that Michael has above, I think there could be a case of Banjarmasin hilts made for export. Hence, the availability of hilts made to various forms.

I agree that the more distinctive Banjarmasin keris sheath is that gayaman-alike style with rounded daun-daun tips, like that posted by Naga Sasra. Sometimes, the hilt may be normal wooden ones, in jawa demam form, covered in geometrical motifs.

On the Bugis-style pistol-grip Banjarmasin hilts, I thought they are more heavily decorated because of stylistic preferences, just like Minang Kabau jawa demam hilts are more heavily carved compared to Riau and S. Malayan jawa demam hilts. The kerdas hilt is most likely an evolved form of the jawa demam. If the jawa demam is an abstract garuda, then the kerdas hilt would also be an abstract garuda. The Banjarmasin hilt is probably more of a case of floral motif evolution than a return to the recognition that the kerdas hilt is garuda, I thought. This is a topic for a separate discussion though.

[Marcokeris]

Another Banjarmasin hit is bronze rakshasa (demon). In my opinion this hit is very difficult to find. I saw this handle only one time in my life and i was really a fool not to buy it. In some books (Hulu keris, Traditional weapon of Indonesia, a Martin Kerner's book...) is possible to see this hilt.
Here i put two photos of popular handles.

[VVV]

Marcokeris,

Maybe I misunderstood you but I can't find any Banjarmasin Raksasa hilt in those books? Could you please let us know which page?
I have never seen any Banjarmasin hilt of a Raksasa so I am quite curious on what it looks like.

BluErf,

If not Garuda, what else could it be in this specific case?
But you are right that it is a topic for a separate discussion.

Michael

[Marcokeris]

VVV,

In Zonneveld's book you can see a photo in the chapter about keris handles
In "hulu keris" there is a picture in the in the chapter of jawa (?) handle.
In the last M. Kerner book (i dont remember the name of the book because is is in deutsche language but ...is only about handles of private collectors) there is a photo in Banjarmasin section.

Here i put a black-white photo from an old italian book ("armi e armature orientali" by G. Vianello) where there is a keris from Rijskmuseum Leiden with similar Raksasa

In my opinion the pattern of these bronze handles comes from Cirebon raksasa (but i don't know why) even if they are a little more scary.

I put also another photo: it is a picture of an ivory handle discovered in Bali. In my opinion this handle is made in Jawa but it has something similar to the Banjarmasin raksasas

Marco

[Alam Shah]

What Marco is referring to, is in Zonneveld's book, on page:68, Fig:255, labelled "South Kalimantan, collected in Banjarmasin, Bronze. H. 7.3cm", there is a hilt in the form of a raksasa in a squatting position. It looks like a mix between North Coast's, Tegal and Cirebon hilt form.

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

In "hulu keris" there is a picture in the in the chapter of jawa (?) handle.

In Suhartono Rahardjo's Ragam Hulu Keris Sejak Zaman Kerajaan book, Pg:25, Fig:33, labelled "Banjarmasin model Raksasa dari casting Brons dengan rangkaian batu permata", which literally translated, Banjarmasin raksasa model made from cast bronze with a row of cut precious stones. Hmmm... I have not seen this form before.

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

In the last M. Kerner book (i dont remember the name of the book because is is in deutsche language but ...is only about handles of private collectors) there is a photo in Banjarmasin section.

The Martin Kerner's book is "Keris-Griffe - aus dem malayischen Archipel" Pg:25/59, Fig:16,53. Only have these references to the Banjarmasin hilt form that was already identified... no raksasa banjarmasin hilt unless you're referring to the one on pg:26, Fig:17 which refers to a Bhuta Nawasari form.

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

I put also another photo: it is a picture of an ivory handle discovered in Bali. In my opinion this handle is made in Jawa but it has something similar to the Banjarmasin raksasas.

You mean the big nose?

[VVV]

Thanks Marcokeris and Alam Shah,

Obviously I went through the books to fast last night when responding.

Shahrial, isn't Bhuta Nawasari a Raksasa prince or an incarnation of Shiva Bhairava?

As a collector of Visayan swords it's interesting to see the resemblence of the Leiden Keris hilt to the deity hilts of those swords?

Maybe those hilts are from the time when the Javanese Hindu influence was dominating Banjarmasin?

Michael

[David]

Michael, why do you feel that the ivory hilt is not from Bali?

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by VVV

Shahrial, isn't Bhuta Nawasari a Raksasa prince or an incarnation of Shiva Bhairava?

Maybe those hilts are from the time when the Javanese Hindu influence was dominating Banjarmasin?

With reference from Karsten Sejr Jensen's book, "Den Indonesiske Kris. Et symbolladet vaben", Pg:64-84. (English summary), Bhuta Nawasari or Siva Bhairava or raksasa prince are the same. Correct me if I'm wrong.