Mataram Wedung

David R · 2nd April 2020, 11:11 PM

Blades from this part of the world are so different that for those of us more used to Western, Chinese and Japanese, they are a bit of a shock. Thank you for posting this.

jagabuwana · 2nd April 2020, 11:36 PM

Full of allure and power. That is so special... wow.

drdavid · 3rd April 2020, 02:08 AM

Quoting/paraphrasing information on wedung conveyed to me by a recognised expert in this area, (any error is mine not theirs)

The wedung was not a weapon in the sense of a tool to kill people, and it was not a utility knife.

It was a symbol of the willingness of a servant ( ie, court attendant) to cut a way through the forest for his or her Lord

David · 3rd April 2020, 02:47 AM

Thanks for confirming my comment drdavid. Though i don't think it is fully correct that the wedhung did not sometimes serve in the function of a utility knife, at least in some symbolic way. The blades were meant to cut though (as the sharpness of mine conveys) and i believe they were probably often employed to cut things, if not in a completely practical way, then surely at the pleasure of the Sultan.
And though not generally considered a weapon, i have heard from a reliable source (perhaps even your same expert

) of very large wedhung used in beheadings.

drdavid · 3rd April 2020, 03:57 AM

David I am sure we are talking the same expert. Your example is magnificent, I have one that is much plainer
cheers
DrD

mariusgmioc · 3rd April 2020, 09:41 AM

Lovely!

The blade shows quite clear signs of very old age, so late 16th - early 17th C seems to be quite realistic.

Thank you for sharing it with us, and thank you for the information to come with it!

David · 3rd April 2020, 07:57 PM

We have this illustration which i believe comes from Raffles of a gent wearing both a keris and wedung. So this would be very early 19th C as Raffles History of Java was first published in 1817.
It should be noted that women within the keraton were also known to have worn wedung.

3rd April 2020, 07:57 PM	#7
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	We have this illustration which i believe comes from Raffles of a gent wearing both a keris and wedung. So this would be very early 19th C as Raffles History of Java was first published in 1817. It should be noted that women within the keraton were also known to have worn wedung. Attached Images

2nd April 2020, 11:11 PM	#1
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,118	Blades from this part of the world are so different that for those of us more used to Western, Chinese and Japanese, they are a bit of a shock. Thank you for posting this.

2nd April 2020, 11:36 PM	#2
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 290	Full of allure and power. That is so special... wow.

3rd April 2020, 02:08 AM	#3
drdavid Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 372	Quoting/paraphrasing information on wedung conveyed to me by a recognised expert in this area, (any error is mine not theirs) The wedung was not a weapon in the sense of a tool to kill people, and it was not a utility knife. It was a symbol of the willingness of a servant ( ie, court attendant) to cut a way through the forest for his or her Lord

3rd April 2020, 02:47 AM	#4
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	Thanks for confirming my comment drdavid. Though i don't think it is fully correct that the wedhung did not sometimes serve in the function of a utility knife, at least in some symbolic way. The blades were meant to cut though (as the sharpness of mine conveys) and i believe they were probably often employed to cut things, if not in a completely practical way, then surely at the pleasure of the Sultan. And though not generally considered a weapon, i have heard from a reliable source (perhaps even your same expert ) of very large wedhung used in beheadings.

3rd April 2020, 03:57 AM	#5
drdavid Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 372	David I am sure we are talking the same expert. Your example is magnificent, I have one that is much plainer cheers DrD

3rd April 2020, 09:41 AM	#6
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,906	Lovely! The blade shows quite clear signs of very old age, so late 16th - early 17th C seems to be quite realistic. Thank you for sharing it with us, and thank you for the information to come with it!