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Royal Lampung Kerls
Details:

Subject:  Royal Gold Keris with ivory hilt
Material:  Polished hardwood sheath with 22 karat solid gold sleeve.  Hand-forged nickel, iron and meteorite                       blade. Cast bronze ring with traces of gilt. Hilt of hippo ivory.
Origin:  Raja Of Lampung, South Sumatra
Age:  Circa 18th Century

The entire keris is a bugis type adopted for South Sumatran royalty. The long-necked bird/garuda hilt is typical of the Buginese/Bugis type. The sheath/sarong and ring are also typically Bugis. The botanical and geometric designs of the gold sleeve are a combination of Bugis and South Sumatran traditions. The gold work has a cryptic design that looks calligraphic.

Only the owner and the maker were privy to the arcane intentions of this secret symbolism. Sometimes the message is of a numerological nature. Other times it can be an almost indecipherable stylized arabic script. The botanical motifs are used to symbolize the powerful energy of nature.  This primal force is all important for agricultural growth and human subsistence.  Having these viral plant motifs is a beneficial talisman for the owner. They also hide the more private and esoteric cryptic communications.

The hilt is of an unusually large dimension. The grandiose proportion of the abstract 'bird-man' hilt coupled with the sophisticated solid gold sleeve and overall perfection of the entire Keris would be conclusive evidence of its royal pedigree even if field information wern't available to substantiate its origin of ownership. This specimen was purchased in the field from a reliable informant who purchased it from a royal household in the Lampung regency.