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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Any Jewelry, post: 5074475, member: 2844&quot;]Kris is fine, it is the Dutch spelling, which is still used in some international circles.</p><p>Keris is the Indonesian spelling.</p><p>You may remember from your days in Indonesia that there is often a slight hesitation in the first syllable of a word when pronouncing it, the &#039;hidden e&#039;.</p><p>So k&#039;ris, which the Dutch heard as kris, but the Indonesians wanted the &#039; to be present in the spelling.</p><p>Not all Indonesians pronounce it with a &#039;hidden e&#039;, some pronounce it like the e in personal.</p><p><br /></p><p>Back to the hilts.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/wink.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=";)" unselectable="on" /></p><p>The first one it the handle of a sirih crusher or betel nut crusher. It is very charming. These handles are often carved as funny caricatures, real folk art.</p><p>It could be Javanese, but sirih crushers are not my area of expertise. I know the most beautiful ones are made in Lombok, but they are usually more intricate, with one man carrying another, etc.</p><p><br /></p><p>The second one is a beautiful antique keris hilt from East Java. It represents Nara Singa (Narasimba), a Vishnu reincarnation with a lion head. Nara Singa protects in times of need, and is known as the great protector.</p><p>The lower part of the hilt would have had a Madurese style hilt cup, a straight sided one that looks like a very small drinking cup. It is late here, I&#039;ll see if I have a photo of one of my Madurese hilt cups.</p><p>East Java has influences from both Madura and Bali, together with their very own mix of cultures.</p><p>Could we see the back please?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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