Dagger

Dagger with wavy blade (7 curves), dark rough surface, widening asymmetrically at base. Watery markings (pamor) obscured. Gaps between guard and blade. Bent, faceted dark wood handle (“young shoot in tree trunk”) with two carvings on the inner side, possibly the stylized representations of masks or monster (kala) faces. Small protrusion at top of upper carving. Style of hilt typical of Surakarta. Brass ring between blade and handle has double ring of beading at bottom, ring of larger beads at top, with clusters of 3 and 4 beads in between. One of a class of daggers called kris, defined by the widening at one side of the blade base. Kris are not only weapons but also works of art and objects of mythical, ritual, and ceremonial significance: in 2005, UNESCO gave the title “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” to the kris of Indonesia.