Mataram Wedung

[jagabuwana]

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

[drdavid]

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]

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]

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

[mariusgmioc]

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]

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.

[Athanase]

Just to compare, here is my Wedung. It is of course much more recent (I suppose XIXth century). The previous owner polished the blade but it does not seem to have pamor.