AN IVORY KERIS HILT '' DANGANAN''

Description:

Indonesia, Bali, early 20th c.
H. 10,5 cm
Figural keris hilt carved from ivory (generic term for figural handles: togog, deling). Base (ferrule: selut) of hammered silver, partially fire-gilt) with inlaid cabochons of impure gemstones. The handle depicts the larva of a longhorn beetle (cocet-cocetan). The oldest handles of this type can be dated to the early 17th century. One of these is presented by Robert Hales (Bucvh: "Islamic and Oriental Arms & Armour"), but the type is certainly older. The beetle larva as a keris handle is today a motif limited to Bali, occasionally also found in East Java and Madura, which is probably related to the principle of veiling and the myth of the veiled/pupilised figure, which conceals its true nature and thus its power. The origin of this symbolism is probably to be found in the esoteric cult of Durga, in which the veiled widow (Shiva's shakti Uma/Parvati in a terrible form) plays the leading role as the mistress of all demons. Durga (literally: the hard to reach, the hard to understand) is probably the most popular form of the goddess (devi) Parvati in Hinduism, who exists in various divine manifestations, benevolent or punishing. Durga is a goddess of perfection who can appear as Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Ambika and Ishvari as well as in other forms and embodies power, knowledge, action and wisdom, among other things. In Tantrism, she is shakti, the female elemental force/energy of the universe. On her forehead is the third eye, which can still be recognised on this handle by the "beetle face". Durga appears in her wrathful manifestations as Kali or Chamunda. She is best known as the slayer of the arch-demon Mahísa, which is re-enacted annually in the Dashain festival in the Durga Puja.
From an old German private collection, assembled since the 1950s - The EU trade certificate for the sale of this lot is available - Minor wear
Cf. IFICAH (2015): Götter-Schmiede. Balinesische Zeremonialklingen im kulturellen Kontext. Wohlesbostel - Kam, G. (2011): Balinese Keris. Leiden - Neka, P.W.S. (2010): Keris Bali Bersejarah. Neka Art Museum, Ubud. - Ramseyer, U. (1977): Bali. Leben in zwei Welten. Zürich.