Dagger

Dagger with straight blade. Watery patterning (pamor) mainly at top of blade, continuing to the point in a narrow band along the median ridge. Dark brown wood handle, faceted and slightly bent (“young shoot in tree trunk”), with two carvings (patra) on the inner side, possibly stylized representations of masks or monster (kala) faces. Metal cup between blade and handle has bands of balls and triangular prongs. 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.