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Old 23rd May 2007, 03:00 AM   #1
ganjawulung
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Default Old Hilt

Shahrial,

I have this strange old hilt. Is it worth for something to tell? Its figure was elephant headed 'god'. Do you have some reference on it?
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Old 23rd May 2007, 08:15 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ganjawulung
Shahrial,

I have this strange old hilt. Is it worth for something to tell? Its figure was elephant headed 'god'. Do you have some reference on it?
Nice hilts!

The elephant head is Ganesha.
Depending on what intellectual level of Shivaism you follow he is either:
- the son of Shiva and Parvati
- the son of only Parvati (no father)
- the son of Shiva's cakti (female side of the same being) Parvati.

I have gathered some information on this page on him:

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

On your other hilts I believe the Jawa Demam/Garuda is the youngest version?

The wayang or raksasa hilts are found on the archaic hilts and their position are more the traditional ancestor position (kneeling with hands on their knees). The Indian name of this position is Pralambapada (as this is Hindu influenced hilts).
Here is some more info on a related Cirebon hilt:

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

Michael
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Old 23rd May 2007, 10:08 PM   #3
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Default The Chatting Hilts

Quote:
Originally Posted by VVV
Nice hilts!

The elephant head is Ganesha.
Depending on what intellectual level of Shivaism you follow he is either:
- the son of Shiva and Parvati
- the son of only Parvati (no father)
- the son of Shiva's cakti (female side of the same being) Parvati.

On your other hilts I believe the Jawa Demam/Garuda is the youngest version?

The wayang or raksasa hilts are found on the archaic hilts and their position are more the traditional ancestor position (kneeling with hands on their knees). The Indian name of this position is Pralambapada (as this is Hindu influenced hilts).
Yes, Michael,

Older Cirebonese hilts I've found, either with Garuda form, or Ganesha (elephant) derivation. Some younger, are abstract form of Ganesha. But now, look! What are these hilts are talking about? (The far right is a Cirebonese sword handle with elephant motive).

Ganjawulung
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Old 24th May 2007, 08:29 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ganjawulung
Yes, Michael,

Older Cirebonese hilts I've found, either with Garuda form, or Ganesha (elephant) derivation. Some younger, are abstract form of Ganesha. But now, look! What are these hilts are talking about? (The far right is a Cirebonese sword handle with elephant motive).

Ganjawulung
The far left is a makara hilt. Also found on Kujangs.
VVV, BluErf, Marco and some others have lots of knowledge about hilts, more than I.
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Old 24th May 2007, 09:01 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ganjawulung
Yes, Michael,

Older Cirebonese hilts I've found, either with Garuda form, or Ganesha (elephant) derivation. Some younger, are abstract form of Ganesha. But now, look! What are these hilts are talking about? (The far right is a Cirebonese sword handle with elephant motive).

Ganjawulung
Ganja,

I can't see if the far right is a Makara or Ganesha based on the picture?

On the message of the hilts several books has been written about this.
My favourites are:

Kerner, Martin, 2000, Keris-Griffe; Aus Museen und Privatsammlungen, Kirchdorf

and

Sejr Jensen, Karsten,1998, Den Indonesiske Kris – et symbolladet våben, Næstved

The first in German and the second in Danish.
But Karsten is soon releasing a new book/CD and this time in English.

The easy explanation is that the hilts represents the attributes of the figures.
Like Ganesha has wisdom, is giver of success in all undertaings and is also known as the Lord of obstacles.
And the hero Bima (fearful, terrible) can travel with the speed of the wind and is stronger than 1000 elephants.

Michael
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Old 24th May 2007, 10:46 AM   #6
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A clearer picture.

Last edited by Alam Shah; 24th May 2007 at 02:26 PM. Reason: picture transferred below for comparison
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Old 24th May 2007, 12:50 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ganjawulung
Shahrial,

I have this strange old hilt. Is it worth for something to tell? Its figure was elephant headed 'god'. Do you have some reference on it?
Hallo, Ganja
I found this pictures
The first is from the book "Indonesian Ornamental Design" edit by Pepin Press
(look the second hit on the bottom)
The other (but this is a gana hit ) from last M. Kerner's book "keris griffe aus museen..."
Another good book about keris hit is "keris invincible" by V. Ghiringhelli; do you have this book?
another is Tammens' De Kris vol. 3 (good, but with black and white picture)
another is "krisgrepen" by Engel (common book with black and white pictures)
There are also a good article about keris is "The hilt of the kris" by Cedric Dauphin in the book "Parcours des mondes n.1 (but with some pictures take from another ghiringhelli's book/i think without permission).
...To morrow i scanner a photo of a Makara Hit
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Old 24th May 2007, 02:14 PM   #8
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Default Makara hilt.

The makara in Martin Kerner's book "Keris-Griffe aus dem malayischen Archipel", (pg:23, Fig 12). The carvings in Kerner's book is much better than ganja's example.

The 'sort-of' translated text:
The black buffalo-horn handle, out of Java was carved as a Makara, a mythical Chimare (vampire?) with elephant head and fish body. The Traufsteine of the temple concern of Borobudur are formed in this type.

Not very meaningful translation, (but hey... I'm not German). (Pics below for comparison).
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Last edited by Alam Shah; 24th May 2007 at 02:26 PM. Reason: picture transferred from above for comparison
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Old 24th May 2007, 03:20 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alam Shah
...The black buffalo-horn handle, out of Java was carved as a Makara, a mythical Chimare (vampire?) with elephant head and fish body...
At least the same,
My "sword" handle (or maybe big keris?) with "makara" motives was made of "sungu kebo" or the black buffalo-horn handle. So old, that the black horn now seems like wood...
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Old 24th May 2007, 03:39 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ganjawulung
At least the same,
My "sword" handle (or maybe big keris?) with "makara" motives was made of "sungu kebo" or the black buffalo-horn handle. So old, that the black horn now seems like wood...
I have a kujang with this hilt, but a bit broken, see here.
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Old 25th May 2007, 08:53 AM   #11
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Nice old piece, Alam
Here a photo of another makara (a rather new hit)
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Old 25th May 2007, 09:13 AM   #12
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Hi all,

Nice collection of makara hilts.
Thanks Shahrial for the lighter picture. I couldn't see any scales before.
On the illustration from Indonesian Ornamental Design actually that is a rip off too from the older book with the same name by van der Hoop, printed 1949 in "Bandoeng" by the "Koninklijk Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen".
Another style of Makara hilt will be published in Karsten's coming new book.
We were at an auction together and he picked up a much chubbier version than the ones in this thread.

Michael
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