Kris


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Note: The kris, or keris[n 1] 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 (bilah or wilah), hilt (hulu or deder), and sheath (warangka). 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 dhapur (the form and design of the blade, with around 60 variants), the pamor (the pattern of metal alloy decoration on the blade, with around 250 variants), and tangguh (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.

[Last update: 2023/08/26]