The Malay Keris: Artistry in Iron

With its sinuously waved blade and damascened surface, the fabled Malay keris is one of the most recognizable weapons in the world. Once routinely carried by men throughout the Malay world, both as part of formal ceremonial dress and as a fighting weapon, the keris today has become a family heirloom and a museum piece. The present collection of articles, most originally published in the Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, explains the design and manufacture of the keris, and some of the traditional lore associated with it.