The Pamur of the Malay Kris: Crafting Tradition and Symbolism

In the heart of the Malay forge, where the heat dances and the clang of metal fills the air, a unique process unfolds. Despite the intense temperatures, the iron remains impure, preventing the creation of a uniform alloy. This limitation, however, births something remarkable – the pamur. This intricate pattern, born from the uncontrollable nature of the forge, transcends mere craftsmanship, acquiring a talismanic significance among its creators and wielders alike.

Blades adorned with the mesmerizing patterns of pamur quickly became coveted possessions. Yet, it wasn't long before smiths realized they could manipulate this phenomenon. By layering scrap iron over the finished blade and skillfully hammering it, they could control and enhance the pamur, imbuing the blades with specific qualities deemed auspicious for various purposes, be it war or trade. This newfound mastery not only ensured the popularity of their creations but also laid the groundwork for the regional identity of these weapons.

Delving deeper into the lore surrounding the kris, Malay weapon experts assert the pivotal role of pamur in its mystique. Across generations, the presence of pamur has been a hallmark of authenticity and potency. As one expert aptly puts it, "All old krises have pamur." This sentiment underscores the enduring reverence for this intricate craftsmanship and its spiritual significance.

The manufacturing process, particularly the embellishment of the blade, unveils the full extent of the smith's sacred function. Here, amidst the sparks and sweat, each stroke of the hammer carries profound meaning. The diverse designs of pamur speak to specific dignities, statuses, or professions, weaving a tapestry of symbolism and tradition that reflects the rich cultural heritage of the Malay people.

Indeed, the pamur transcends its aesthetic allure, serving as a conduit for spiritual connection and societal identity. It is through these meticulously crafted patterns that the essence of the kris is revealed – a fusion of craftsmanship, belief, and heritage. As the blades journey from the forge to the hands of warriors and collectors, they carry with them not only the legacy of their makers but also the stories of a people bound by reverence for the sacred art of the Malay Kris.
The Pamur of the Malay Kris: Crafting Tradition and Symbolism

Kris Art Accessories

The artistry associated with the kris encompasses a variety of meticulously crafted accessories designed for its proper maintenance. In Sumatra and Malaysia, the presence of a 'keris pusaka' or ancestral kris justified the utilization of a dedicated cushion, thereby amplifying its significance.

In Java, krises of notable value were often displayed on a wooden wall plaque intricately adorned with floral or vinyl designs, or enriched with a 'wayang' theme achieved through the art of carving and painting. Krises associated with esteemed families were at times stored in a finely crafted cabinet tailored for this specific purpose. Bali is often credited for producing the most exceptional examples of this craftsmanship.

In Bali, skilled woodcarvers crafted distinctive sculpted figures intended for holding one or two krises. These figures took on the forms of either human or deity-like entities, typically emanating a benevolent aura, although occasionally featuring a menacing or ogre-like appearance.

Certain carvings exhibited remarkable creativity, depicting unlikely creatures either holding or engaging with a kris. These vibrant additions significantly contribute to the comprehension of kris art and emphasize the special reverence it commands from Malays across various regions.
Kris Art Accessories

Preferred Types of Kris

The krises most preferred are the ones called Simpana, cherita, and Sepukal. The 'kris panjang' (long kris) is typically worn by the nobility and grooms in Malaya. These long kris blades resemble sharp poniards made from Damascus steel. The handles are carved from ebony, adorned with intricate gold designs, and the sheaths are similarly richly embellished with the same metal. In the Malay Peninsula, these krises were even utilized to carry out executions.

In earlier days, Malays didn't place value solely on the amount of gold inlay in their krises; instead, they valued them for their precise proportions as stipulated in their guides. They assessed factors such as the quality of the damask on the blade, its age, and any auspicious attributes it might possess, such as having drawn human blood or possessing supernatural qualities similar to the famed sword "Excalibur." This distinctive attribute was termed 'bertuah,' signifying immunity to accidents and invulnerability. Conversely, the opposite of this was known as 'celaka,' indicating misfortune or bad luck.
Preferred Types of Kris

Kris in Java

The kris, common to ethnic groups in both the Indonesian archipelago and the Malay Peninsula, was recognized by UNESCO in 2005 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In its crudest form, the blade made its first documented appearance in a 9th-century relief at the Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java. In Indonesia the kris is commonly associated with Javanese culture, although other ethnicities are familiar with the weapon as part of their culture, such as the Balinese,Malays, Sundanese, Madurese,-Bugis, Makassar and Filipino.

Kris are used for display, as talismans with magical powers, weapons, a sanctified heirloom (pusaka), auxiliary equipment for court soldiers, an accessory for ceremonial dress, an indicator of social status, a symbol of heroism, etc

For Javanese the Kris is most usually worn in such a manner as not to be instantly at hand. It is proper to wear it trust through the sash in an oblique way, lower end of the sheath on the left side, grip on the right side. If carried aring downward the intention is peaceful. Reversing the aring so that it points upward requires the normal sheath to be worn frontal side against the back; this is not usual, but such a wearing permits an instant draw and fast use of the blade.

The kris has also served as a tool of execution for criminals. The condemned man was made to kneel. His executioner stood behind him holding the kris above the condemned’s left shoulder. At a given signal the executioner plunged the blade in an oblique path, downward through the shoulder flesh near the collarbone and into the victim’s heart.

The most beautiful blades were forged on the island of Java in the 19th century, when bladesmiths crafting royal krisses created the inlaid patterns known as pamor (meaning aura) using nickel iron ores from a large meteorite that had fallen near the Prambanan Temple complex near Borobudur.

Javanese blade types do not stop with the kris. An almost unaccountable variety of blade designs can be found on this island. Some generalizations are possible and may sometimes be extended to then weapons of other areas of Indonesia. The terms pedang, kelewang, parang, pisau, golok, and arit all identify bladed weapons commonly seen on Java.
Kris in Java

Pamor of keris

All Malay weapons if made of metal are divided into three classes, berpamor if damascened or laminated, meleda if plain steel, and besi bari if rough steel.

The term pamor is used to denote the Malay form of damascene markings. The word is Malay-originally meaning mixture or alloy. This exactly describes the manufacturing method of the keris blade: the forging together of various metals using a technique called “pattern welding”. The pattern welding work demonstrates the skills of the Empu but also characterizes the power of the blade.

Now it is often used to describe the nickelous metal in the kris-marking process and just as often used to denote the variegated patterns produced by the pamor metal.

The core of a keris is the only layer of steel. On each side of this is a layer of besi pamor made of iron bars welded together, then beaten into a sort of Greek key pattern. Welding, carving, cleaning and other processes can cause layers to be lost and the pamor is revealed.

A separate heating and hammering is needed for each wave In some keris especially those made in Patani, the waves are made by filing and grinding, but usually only in keris melela or besi bari as the beauty of the pamor is spoilt if it does not follow the waves.

Early in kris history 1600 A.D it was found that if one of the metals contained nickel, the pamor show bed sharply more contrast. Possibly at that time and certainly later nearly all nickelous iron came from the Celebes (Sulawesi) and was termed pamor luwu.

Such iron was often called ‘white iron’ because being more etch-resistant it left silvery threads on an acid-darkened blade. Probably late in the eighteenth century the first kris blades were made containing nickelous iron from the meteor that had fallen near Prambanan in 1749.

It was reported that the nickel content of pamor luwu as 0.4 per cent and pamor Prambanan as being 4.7 per cent. However, present day samples of the latter iron each essay a 9.4 percentage of nickel.

Pamor can be classified according to the forging technique:
*Pamor mlumah, for luck and tranquility, the lamination is parallel to the flat surface of the blade, it is the most common type
*Pamor miring, for glory, the lamination is aligned to an angle to the flat surface of the blade, this type is much more elaborate
Pamor of keris

The blade of kris

The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, but many have straight blades as well. Both a weapon and spiritual object, kris are often considered to have an essence or presence, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad.

Kris blades are usually narrow with a wide, asymmetrical base. The blade, always of steel, may be straight or sinuous; the scabbard, usually of wood, may be encased fully or partially in metal or is sometimes fully or partially of ivory. The hilt, usually of wood or ivory, is sometimes found in silver or brass and rarely, in gold or shell. The fittings are usually brass or copper, often silvered or gilded. Fittings of silver or gold are frequent, as are styles decorated with glass cabochons, or rough-cut germs.

Kris has been researched in terms of supranatural power, resulting in the facts that kris has a special energy depending on the patterns of metal alloy decoration (Pamor) on the blade (Bilah), designs of blade (Dhapur) and Tangguh—period of production.

Bilah is the principal blade of Kris. It will determine whether the Kris is straight or wavy (resembling a snake). It is usually narrow with a wide asymmetrical base. Although Kris measures differently, its length is between 15 to 50 cm, sharp on both edges and tip, broader and asymmetric shape near the hilt.

The blade is the most important part of the kris. Granting the technical superiority of the Japanese blade over all other, and the excellence of good Persian blades, the kris blade yet shows greater artistry and imagination on the forging and decoration of its many complex forms. All three of these very different blades from quite different cultures are forged by procedures that are common in many aspects.

In kris practices, the ‘empu’ is identified as the blade maker, while the ‘mranggi’ is identified as the supplementary craftsman. In high quality kris blades, the metal is folded dozens or hundreds of times and handled with the utmost precision. ‘Empus’ are highly respected craftsmen with additional knowledge in literature, history and occult sciences.

The kris and early Persian blades were forged by a technique known as ‘pattern welding’ – one in which two or more layers of different steels were pounded together while red-hot, folded or twisted, pounded more and folded more until the desired numbers of layers, or laminae, were obtained. The rough sword blade so achieved was then filed and polished smooth and finally acid-etched to bring out the contrasting colors of the low and high carbon steels.

The pattern so obtained may be controlled by a skillful smith who produced all sorts of fanciful designs. The designs range from misty and diaphanous to bold, three-dimensional textures. Some of their names are revealing: ‘rice grains’ or ‘nutmeg flower’; in Persian work, a ladder pattern called ‘forty steps’; in Japan work a superb textured wood –grain effect called mokume, etc.

The blade of Kris is either straight or wavy (like a snake). The (straight) Kris philosophically symbolizes ‘determination’ to maintain principles while the wavy Kris symbolizes ‘wisdom’ (strategically talented).

The blade requires a sheath that is decorated with a ‘pendhok’ and this has become an integral part of the aesthetics of the kris. The sheath is often made from wood, though examples from ivory, even gold, abound.
The blade of kris

The spiritual aspect of kris

A kris is a dagger with an asymmetrical, double-edged blade that is either straight or wavy, and with an unmistakeable enlarged blade heel. This leads into the Ganja, the cross-piece that continues the shape of the blade, which is adapted to the shoulder of the blade and constitutes a typical feature of the kris.

The essence of the kris is a complicated topic. For the most part, blades were considered to almost be alive in some cases, or at the very least vessels of special powers. Krisses could be tested two ways. A series of cuts on a leaf, based on blade width and other factors, could determine if a blade was good or bad. Also, if the owner slept with the blade under their pillow and had a bad dream, the blade was unlucky and had to be discarded. However, just because a blade was bad for one person didn’t mean it would be bad for another. Harmony between the owner and the kris was critical.

The symbolism meaning of the kris visuals, kris as a giver of security for the user in the form of a sharp weapon is more functioning as a weapon with supernatural power (esoteric essence), whose main function no longer lies in the sharpness of the kris as a tool weapon in the violence. It exists from its internal strength, that is a kind of imagination and spirit formed from the ‘yoni’ power (inner power) or prayer that is obscene (such as mantram, asmaan, rajah).

It was said that some krisses helped prevent fires, death, agricultural failure, and myriads of other problems. Likewise, they could also bring fortune, such as bountiful harvests and the like. Krisses could also have tremendous killing power. Some are rumored to be able to stand on its tip when its real name was being called by its master. Legends tell of krisses moving on their own volition, and killing individuals at will. When making a blade, the empu (keris-maker) could infuse into the blade any special spiritual qualities and powers the owner desires.

Many of these beliefs, however, were erroneously derived from the possession of different keris by different people. For example, there is a kind of keris in Java that was called 'Beras Wutah', which was believed to grant its possessor easy life without famine. In reality, this keris is mainly assigned to government officers that were paid, in whole or in part, with foodstuff (rice).

Because some krisses are considered sacred, and people believe they contain magical powers, specific rites needed to be completed to avoid calling down evil fates. For example, pointing a kris at someone is thought to mean that they will die soon, so in ceremonies or demonstrations where ritualized battles are fought with real krisses, the fighters will perform a ritual which includes touching the point of the blade to the ground to neutralize this effect.
The spiritual aspect of kris