Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Bali, ca. 19th century CE. An incredible kris and sheath studded with brightly colored stones. Made of hammered sheet silver over wood, the sheath and handle are studded with large and small stones of various colors, including turquoise, garnet, onyx, and lapis lazuli. The handle is in the form of a kingly or godly anthropomorphic figure with a mask-like face, recalling the masks worn by Balinese dancers. The blade is dark on the edges, with a swirling silver and dark pattern on its interior that is the product of the artist who created it folding its steel over and over again. It has a low, pointed mid-rib and a wavy form that is characteristic of the kris. Size without sheat: 26.25" L (66.7 cm); total size: 26.35" L x 8.15" W (66.9 cm x 20.7 cm)

The kris is both a weapon and a spiritual object. The oldest known are from the 10th century CE, when they are thought to have originated on the island of Java. The bladesmith, called an empu, forms the blade from layers of different iron ores and meteorite nickel. In high quality ones, the metal is folded dozens or even hundreds of times. Kris are worn every day and in special ceremonies; both men and women wear them. They were passed down through families. They were used for display, as talismans with magical powers, weapons, heirlooms, accessories for ceremonial dress, and indicators of social status. The aesthetic value of each kris has three elements: dhapur, the shape and design of the blade, with 40 variants; pamor, the pattern of metal alloy decoration on the blade, with 120 variants; and tangguh, the age and origin of kris. In 2005, the kris became a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Provenance: private Rochester, Michigan, USA collection

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#123529

Light tarnish. Slight bending to upper portion of sheath.