Dagger

Dagger with wavy blade (13 curves), mottled watery patterns (pamor). Handle light brown wood, faceted, slightly bent (“young shoot on tree trunk”), with two carved areas (patra) on inner side, possibly stylized representations of masks or monster (kala) faces. Brass cup between blade and handle beaded top and bottom, with rows of larger beads and triangular prongs in between. Top row of beads light bluish green. 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.