Trident head for I.D. South-East Asian ?

colin henshaw · 20th May 2015, 01:53 PM

Could anyone help to identify this trident head, presumably from South-East Asia somewhere ?

I would be interested to know the... area of origin, approximate date range etc. If someone has comparable, complete examples, do please post them.

With thanks in advance.

kronckew · 20th May 2015, 03:40 PM

(oops double post)

kronckew · 20th May 2015, 03:43 PM

looks like a javanese trident, which would be inserted in a socket in the end of a pole like a spear. some spearheads get mounted as daggers tho. not sure about tridents.the pamour (laminated and arsenic washed) steel is nice. it also pins down the area to indonesia. the only other ones similar i found googling were listed as javanese. a forum search didn't bring me any examples either. personally it looks fairly new, hasn't been 'washed' much. but i am not an expert in this area (if any

) anyhow, i like it.

a fairly unusual item. hopefully the keris guru can flesh out the details.

Sajen · 20th May 2015, 04:42 PM

Hi Colin,

yes, most probable from Java, called trisula. Can't say if it's an old one but old ones rare and expensive.

Regards,
Detlef

Henk · 20th May 2015, 07:39 PM

Yep Java. Very nice trisula. Always mounted as a tombak. I've never seen a trisula mounted seriously as a dagger. Just as Detlef I cann't say anything about it's age.

A. G. Maisey · 20th May 2015, 08:24 PM

Agree with the above posts.

Definitely not old, made within the last 100 years.

Two types of older ones, those from approximately the Majapahit era, these are quite small, and I seriously doubt were ever used as a weapon to spill blood, later ones after the domination of Islam in Jawa, which seem to have been intended as serious weapons, some of these can be pretty big, up to over a foot long and proportionately wide.

It is possible that the ones from early Jawa were used as finials for the poles used to carry banners into battle, the Javanese from the classical eras (both early and late) regarded banners as a weapon of war.

colin henshaw · 21st May 2015, 03:13 PM

Many thanks for the informative comments on this piece. It looks a bit similar to the trident attribute of the Hindu deity, Shiva.

A. G. Maisey · 21st May 2015, 11:36 PM

Yes, and of course that is the reason for the pattern in Jawa.

Rick · 22nd May 2015, 12:53 AM

Three within three; nice form for this trisula .

20th May 2015, 01:53 PM	#1
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Trident head for I.D. South-East Asian ? Could anyone help to identify this trident head, presumably from South-East Asia somewhere ? I would be interested to know the... area of origin, approximate date range etc. If someone has comparable, complete examples, do please post them. With thanks in advance. Attached Images

21st May 2015, 03:13 PM	#7
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Many thanks for the informative comments on this piece. It looks a bit similar to the trident attribute of the Hindu deity, Shiva. Attached Images

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20th May 2015, 03:40 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,150	(oops double post)

20th May 2015, 03:43 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,150	looks like a javanese trident, which would be inserted in a socket in the end of a pole like a spear. some spearheads get mounted as daggers tho. not sure about tridents.the pamour (laminated and arsenic washed) steel is nice. it also pins down the area to indonesia. the only other ones similar i found googling were listed as javanese. a forum search didn't bring me any examples either. personally it looks fairly new, hasn't been 'washed' much. but i am not an expert in this area (if any ) anyhow, i like it. a fairly unusual item. hopefully the keris guru can flesh out the details.

20th May 2015, 04:42 PM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,466	Hi Colin, yes, most probable from Java, called trisula. Can't say if it's an old one but old ones rare and expensive. Regards, Detlef

20th May 2015, 07:39 PM	#5
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Yep Java. Very nice trisula. Always mounted as a tombak. I've never seen a trisula mounted seriously as a dagger. Just as Detlef I cann't say anything about it's age.

20th May 2015, 08:24 PM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,697	Agree with the above posts. Definitely not old, made within the last 100 years. Two types of older ones, those from approximately the Majapahit era, these are quite small, and I seriously doubt were ever used as a weapon to spill blood, later ones after the domination of Islam in Jawa, which seem to have been intended as serious weapons, some of these can be pretty big, up to over a foot long and proportionately wide. It is possible that the ones from early Jawa were used as finials for the poles used to carry banners into battle, the Javanese from the classical eras (both early and late) regarded banners as a weapon of war.

21st May 2015, 11:36 PM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,697	Yes, and of course that is the reason for the pattern in Jawa.

22nd May 2015, 12:53 AM	#9
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,262	Three within three; nice form for this trisula .