Hierarchical ranks in the Surakarta keraton

A. G. Maisey · 26th July 2018, 11:07 PM

Conflict in colour combinations can indicate a couple of things, it could be a case of an hereditary entitlement and an administrative or military entitlement for the same individual, or it could simply be a case of incorrect mixing by somebody who did not understand the rules.

Paul B. · 27th July 2018, 04:36 AM

Can we as collectors indicate which pendok is correct just by looking at the scabbard? Impossible I guess because of the possible entitlements.
Second: I have seen Sunggingan with bunton pendoks but was told they actually should wear a blewah. Is that the tumb of rules?

A. G. Maisey · 27th July 2018, 06:38 AM

The table in post #1 gives a clear indication of what is correct.

Where pendok colour varies from the table it is as per comment in post #5.

You can very easily know if a gandar was originally made for a blewah pendok because there will be traces of the blewah.

If we are talking only about sunggingans the motif will indicate if it should have been continued down the front of the gandar.

Paul B. · 28th July 2018, 07:50 AM

Sorry for my poor understanding but I still don't understand which scabbard should wear a certain (colour) pendok.
Post 1 is just a listing of what we can find.

As to the continuation of the motif: if I bunton pendok is added which is glued than it is of course hard to find out (but probably suspect!).

As to ukiran (apart from rojomolo motif):I have seen painted ukiran (sunggingan), ivory and the ones with selut. My impression is that anything can do as long as it shows a skillfully made ukiran.

A. G. Maisey · 28th July 2018, 01:17 PM

Paul, a reading of what I have posted will give you the answers you seek if you match the information I have provided.

As to the motif, nothing comes easy, you need to learn the form of the motifs, this requires study.

Yes, the hilt of a keris may be painted, but it is most certainly not necessarily a matter of "anything can do". Again, there is no magic formula, study and research is required and each case must be analysed separately in accordance with the available evidence.

EDIT

Here is the information already presented, but presented again in a different way:-

Royal family, including a pangeran (prince), a bupati (regent):- white or yellow wrongko ground + red pendok

Pangeran (prince):- gold wrongko ground + red pendok

Penewu ( a man in command of 1000 men):- sea blue wrongko ground + green pendok

Mentri (see post 2):- light green wrongko ground + green pendok

Lurah (see post 2):- natural wrongko ground or grey wrongko ground + dark grey pendok

Jajar (see post 2) :- black wrongko ground+ black pendok

All ranks at a funeral, or a commoner:- natural ground+ black pendok

Hilts can be painted en suite with the wrongko, but they can also be left as natural

Where an administrative position conflicts in rank with a military position, and/or an inherited position (FX:- a prince who is a penewu) the higher position will normally indicate the colour code, but it may not, the colour code in such an instance could be decided on a case by case basis, or a contextual basis.

Paul B. · 29th July 2018, 10:26 AM

Thanks Alan that clarifies a lot more.

2 Other examples fitted in black pendok and wonder if these are correct or examples of colour code exceptions.

* The Ladrang clearly shows a white base and so a royal piece. The black pendok is replaced, it had a mossgreen one. A red one would be common?
+ The Gayaman has a golden base or what?

A. G. Maisey · 29th July 2018, 01:02 PM

Paul, what I have provided is correct colour coding within the Surakarta Karaton environment. There is no law that prevents anybody at all from creating and wearing any colours they wish, if those people are not members of the Surakarta Karaton hierarchy.

These examples you are have provided are quite nice examples of sunggingan work, but they do not seem to my eye to be the style of sunggingan dress that I would expect to see worn by a member of the Surakarta Karaton hierarchy. The sunggingan work is reasonably well done, but the motifs are not executed in a way that would permit identification with a karaton rank, and these motifs seem somewhat confused.

The ladrangan might have a white base, or it might have a gold or yellow base, in the photo it appears that the two colours alternate, I have not seen this style of confused colour coding, and I am not at all sure that such a thing is legitimate.

29th July 2018, 10:26 AM	#6
Paul B. Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 205	Thanks Alan that clarifies a lot more. 2 Other examples fitted in black pendok and wonder if these are correct or examples of colour code exceptions. * The Ladrang clearly shows a white base and so a royal piece. The black pendok is replaced, it had a mossgreen one. A red one would be common? + The Gayaman has a golden base or what? Attached Images

26th July 2018, 11:07 PM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,047	Conflict in colour combinations can indicate a couple of things, it could be a case of an hereditary entitlement and an administrative or military entitlement for the same individual, or it could simply be a case of incorrect mixing by somebody who did not understand the rules.

27th July 2018, 04:36 AM	#2
Paul B. Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 205	Can we as collectors indicate which pendok is correct just by looking at the scabbard? Impossible I guess because of the possible entitlements. Second: I have seen Sunggingan with bunton pendoks but was told they actually should wear a blewah. Is that the tumb of rules?

27th July 2018, 06:38 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,047	The table in post #1 gives a clear indication of what is correct. Where pendok colour varies from the table it is as per comment in post #5. You can very easily know if a gandar was originally made for a blewah pendok because there will be traces of the blewah. If we are talking only about sunggingans the motif will indicate if it should have been continued down the front of the gandar.

28th July 2018, 07:50 AM	#4
Paul B. Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 205	Sorry for my poor understanding but I still don't understand which scabbard should wear a certain (colour) pendok. Post 1 is just a listing of what we can find. As to the continuation of the motif: if I bunton pendok is added which is glued than it is of course hard to find out (but probably suspect!). As to ukiran (apart from rojomolo motif):I have seen painted ukiran (sunggingan), ivory and the ones with selut. My impression is that anything can do as long as it shows a skillfully made ukiran.

28th July 2018, 01:17 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,047	Paul, a reading of what I have posted will give you the answers you seek if you match the information I have provided. As to the motif, nothing comes easy, you need to learn the form of the motifs, this requires study. Yes, the hilt of a keris may be painted, but it is most certainly not necessarily a matter of "anything can do". Again, there is no magic formula, study and research is required and each case must be analysed separately in accordance with the available evidence. EDIT Here is the information already presented, but presented again in a different way:- Royal family, including a pangeran (prince), a bupati (regent):- white or yellow wrongko ground + red pendok Pangeran (prince):- gold wrongko ground + red pendok Penewu ( a man in command of 1000 men):- sea blue wrongko ground + green pendok Mentri (see post 2):- light green wrongko ground + green pendok Lurah (see post 2):- natural wrongko ground or grey wrongko ground + dark grey pendok Jajar (see post 2) :- black wrongko ground+ black pendok All ranks at a funeral, or a commoner:- natural ground+ black pendok Hilts can be painted en suite with the wrongko, but they can also be left as natural Where an administrative position conflicts in rank with a military position, and/or an inherited position (FX:- a prince who is a penewu) the higher position will normally indicate the colour code, but it may not, the colour code in such an instance could be decided on a case by case basis, or a contextual basis. Last edited by A. G. Maisey; 28th July 2018 at 11:00 PM.

29th July 2018, 01:02 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,047	Paul, what I have provided is correct colour coding within the Surakarta Karaton environment. There is no law that prevents anybody at all from creating and wearing any colours they wish, if those people are not members of the Surakarta Karaton hierarchy. These examples you are have provided are quite nice examples of sunggingan work, but they do not seem to my eye to be the style of sunggingan dress that I would expect to see worn by a member of the Surakarta Karaton hierarchy. The sunggingan work is reasonably well done, but the motifs are not executed in a way that would permit identification with a karaton rank, and these motifs seem somewhat confused. The ladrangan might have a white base, or it might have a gold or yellow base, in the photo it appears that the two colours alternate, I have not seen this style of confused colour coding, and I am not at all sure that such a thing is legitimate.