The Hilt
|
|
|
The hilt of a keris is a sculpture in miniature. It is mostly carved from wood but every conceivable material can be used from horn, ivory to silver or gold and even fossilized mammoth tooth and Tridacna shell. Designs, however, tend to be traditional and 20th century innovations are rare. Keris hilts descend from lifelike representations of a man. Islamisation has caused the evolution of the original hilts into very abstract representations where the barest outline of a man can be discerned. Only in Bali, which remains Hindu, there are lifelike representations of man, gods and beast.
|
|
In Javanese, the hilt is called Ukiran while in Malay it is called Hulu. Unlike most other daggers or swords, the hilt is not always permanently fixed to the blade. It is secured to the blade by a strip of cloth, string or hair that is wrapped around the Peksi and then inserted into the hilt.
The tightness of the fit is controlled by how much cloth you wrap around the Peksi. This has two advantages: it allows the hilt to be turned to allow it to have the best match to the shape of the hand, and to allow the hilt to be changed and varied according to the economic situation of the owner.
Sometimes a resin is used to secure the hilt to the blade. The resin, when cold, solidifies into a strong adhesive but with heat, it softens and allows the blade to be removed. A firm fit yet easy removal of the hilt is possible with this resin. Many are of the view that this was the traditional way of securing the hilt to the blade and that the use of cloth or hair is a recent development.
A working knowledge of hilt design can help to place where a keris was made. In Central and East Java, most keris hilts are the abstract seven plena hilts. North Java has its own keris hilt forms.
|
|
In Cirebon, the main hilt form is that of a squatting long haired demon or raksasa.
|
Madura has a stylised human form that is heavily decorated with foliage either inscribed, pierced or in relief. One form maintaining the profile of a man, another deviating away somewhat.
|
|
Madura hilts have added much Dutch influenced designs such as epaulettes, crowns, coat-of-arms and helmets. One particular attractive Madura form is the "corn-cob", also heavily decorated with foliage.
|
|
In Sulawesi, Sumatra and Malaya, the main form is the Jawa Demam: the "Fevered Javanese". Many believe that it is an abstraction of the Garuda because of its beak like projection. However, there is strong evidence that it is an abstraction of a man as more primitive examples clearly show hands, feet and teeth which the Garuda lacks. If you study early forms of the Java Demam from Pelambang and Tegal, you will notice that the "beak" is actually a enlongated nose. The abstraction of the Jawa Demam varies from highly stylised as in the case of Patani and Palembang hilts
|
|
to highly abstract in the Malay
|
or Bugis form.
|
In Perak, there is a hilt form, which probable is a recent development: a hilt in the form of a parrot.
|
In Moro or Sulu pieces, the 'cockatoo' pommel is well known. Some Riau sundangs have similar pommels, though some have realistic representation of a parrot's head rather than a stylised figure. The Perak Parrot hilt could have developed from this.
In Bali there is a whole range of hilts from figural representations of Demi Gods and the intriguing 11 chequered hilt to functional plain hilts with hair wrapped around it.
|
Balinese hilts are larger than most and more erect given that the Balinese keris blade is longer and larger than most and used for cutting and stabbing.
|
The Mendak and Selut can in itself be a work of art. The highest quality s embedded with precious stones and made from gold. The same practice applies to Balinese pieces.
The Malay version is called the Pendongkok. It usually comes in one piece either as a flat cup or a cup with the stem fixed to it.
|
Pendongkoks come mainly in brass or silver, sometimes ivory. Again the high quality is made from gold but this is rare because of adat restrictions. Most "gold" Pendongkok are actually gilded silver. Many are decorated with granules and filigree. Seldom do we see one with precious stones like that of Bali and Java.
The rings and cups symbolises the lotus: a link to the Buddhist past of the Malay people. It is common practice in the Malay and Sumatran Pendongkok to find lotus motives used as decoration and the Pendongkok itself decoratively divided into eight panels or sections, a stylised version of the eight petal lotus.
There is a purpose to the rings. They are constructed to provide gradual incline tapering towards the base of the blade. This allows for a comfortable grip of the keris for the forefinger and thumb, facilitating the effective handling of the weapon.