Knife called Kriss
Java Island, Indonesia
19th century
Wood, palm, bone, shagreen
Long. total: 70; Long. blade: 52 cm

Handle, called ukiran, made of bovine bone and red shagreen.
Single-edged pamor blade.
Wooden sheath covered with shagreen and bovine bone.

Rear mount.

The kris is a distinctly masculine weapon. A marker of social status and wealth, it was also the object symbolically given to a young boy who had become a man.
The more intricately crafted the blade and the more precious the materials used in the handle, the higher the rank of its owner.
The ukiran, almost always carved in an anthropomorphic style, is considered an allegory of its owner. Thus, the head represents the hilt, the body the blade, and the garment the sheath. It's worth noting that the traditional garment for Balinese men is the sarong—the same name given to the sheath of the kris.

The kris, endowed with magical powers, is considered a vehicle of spirituality. It is passed down through inheritance, which allows it to increase its power.

Text and photos © FCP CORIDON