Kris | EPFL Graph Search

Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?

Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of GraphSearch.

The kris, or keris in the Indonesian languages, is an Indonesian asymmetrical dagger, both weapon and spiritual object, with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (pamor). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, although many have straight blades as well, and is one of the weapons commonly used in the pencak silat martial art, native to Indonesia. A kris can be divided into three parts: blade ( or ), hilt ( or deder), and sheath (). Each part of the kris is considered a piece of art, often carved in meticulous detail and made from various materials: iron, precious or rare types of wood, gold, or ivory. A kris's aesthetic value covers the (the form and design of the blade, with around 60 variants), the (the pattern of metal alloy decoration on the blade, with around 250 variants), and (the age and provenance of the whole). Depending on the quality and historical value of the kris, it can fetch thousands of dollars or more. Both a weapon and a spiritual object, the kris is often considered to have an essence or presence and to possess magical powers, some blades possessing good luck and others bad. Krises are used as talismans with magical powers, weapons, sanctified heirlooms (pusaka), auxiliary equipment for court soldiers, accessories for ceremonial dress, indicators of social status, symbols of heroism, or simply objets d'art. Legendary krises with supernatural power and extraordinary ability are mentioned in folktales, such as those of Empu Gandring, Taming Sari, and Setan Kober. The kris is promoted by the Indonesian government as a cultural symbol of Indonesia. While it is commonly associated with the Javanese within Indonesian society, other ethnic communities are familiar with the weapon as part of their culture, such as the Balinese, Sundanese, Malay, Madurese, Banjar, Buginese, and Makassar people.

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related concepts (20)

Javanese culture

Javanese culture is the culture of the Javanese people. Javanese culture is centered in the provinces of Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java in Indonesia. Due to various migrations, it can also be found in other parts of the world, such as Suriname (where 15% of the population are of Javanese descent), the broader Indonesian archipelago region, Cape Malay, Malaysia, Singapore, Netherlands and other countries. The migrants bring with them various aspects of Javanese cultures such as Gamelan music, traditional dances and art of Wayang kulit shadow play.

Mataram Kingdom

The Mataram Kingdom (mɑːtɑːrɑːm, ꦩꦠꦫꦩ꧀, mətaram); also known as Medang Kingdom was a Javanese Hindu–Buddhist kingdom that flourished between the 8th and 11th centuries. It was based in Central Java, and later in East Java. Established by King Sanjaya, the kingdom was ruled by the Shailendra dynasty and Ishana dynasty. During most of its history the kingdom seems have relied heavily on agriculture, especially extensive rice farming, and later also benefited from maritime trade.

Sunda Kingdom

The Sunda Kingdom (Karajaan Sunda, sunˈda) was a Sundanese Hindu kingdom located in the western portion of the island of Java from 669 to around 1579, covering the area of present-day Banten, Jakarta, West Java, and the western part of Central Java. The capital of the Sunda Kingdom moved several times during its history, shifting between the Galuh (Kawali) area in the east and Pakuan Pajajaran in the west. The Sunda Kingdom reached its peak during the reign of King Sri Baduga Maharaja, whose reign from 1482 to 1521 is traditionally remembered as an age of peace and prosperity among Sundanese people.