667 - Kris, probably Indonesia, 20th century, wavy blade, figural hilt with cabochons, sheath with sleeve

Kris, probably Indonesia, 20th century, wavy blade, figural hilt with cabochons, sheath with sleeve Metal, kris, probably Indonesia, 20th century, wavy, double-edged blade (Dapur Luk) with light patterning, asymmetrically widened blade base with small hook, gold-coloured hilt (Hulu) in two sections, the upper part figural with face and headdress, the lower part with relief decoration of figures, lozenges and scrolls, the back with engraved and punched leaf decoration, at the base of the hilt a spherical ferrule (Mendak) with dark and light, partly marbled cabochons in copper-coloured settings, scabbard with dark, curved upper part (Warangka) and gold-coloured sleeve (Pendok), its front with relief scrollwork, the edge with oblique hatching and five set cabochons, the back plain with small relief ornaments at the ends. Used condition commensurate with age, the upper part of the scabbard has split along the joint. L. 62 cm, blade length 40 cm. The kris, Malay keris, is an asymmetrical dagger from Southeast Asia, found above all in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Besides the straight form, called Dapur Bener, there is the wavy blade, Dapur Luk, whose curves always occur in odd numbers. Pamor refers to a blade patterning that arises when different layers of metal are forged together and is brought out by treatment with arsenic and citric acid. The parts of the kris have their own names: Hulu for the hilt, Mendak for the hilt ferrule, Warangka for the upper part of the scabbard and Pendok for the outer metal sheath. In Malay culture the kris has a spiritual significance, and traditional kris smiths enjoy high esteem. The Indonesian kris, which men and women wore in everyday life and at ceremonies and whose blades are passed down as heirlooms over generations, was included by UNESCO in 2005 in the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity; since 2008 it has been on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.