My Bugis keris

[Jean]

Originally Posted by Johan van Zyl

And then I would like to ask Jean what is it about the pendokok that might suggest Riau as place of origin above Sulawesi. It seems I have underestimated the pendokok as a part of the keris that one can get clues from. This is once again most interesting.

Jean mentioned the timpalaja as meaning "roof ridge" (the pattern at the base of the blade). I found an alternative unjung gunung, meaning "mountain peak". I assume these are from two different languages, indicating the very same thing.

Tebba jampu and wengkon I could not fathom. AFAIK wengkon is part of the description of a blade pattern (pamor). Could you come in here please, Jean?

Cheers
Johan

Hello Johan,
Please note that I am not a Bugis kris specialist, just an interested collector!
Regarding the pendokok (apparently called kili-kili in Sulawesi), this carved and flat type is sometimes called Bugis cup (by Frey for instance) and it seems more common in East Sumatra & Malaysia than in Sulawesi but other opinions are welcome. BTW I have my doubts that it could be made from solid gold...
Pamor Timpalaja is located at the base of the blade only, while pamor Ujung Gunung (called Gantara for Bugis krisses) extends along the whole blade.
Pamor Tebba Jampu is similar to pamor Ngulit Semangka or Beras Wutah in Java and it apparently means batang jampu in Indonesian "stem of the rose-apple?".
Pamor Teppobaja means batas baja in Indonesian or "steel limit". Pamor Teppobaja or Wengkon is the pamor line at the edges of the blade.
Regards