DepartmentAsia
Keris holder in the form of Hanuman
NameSculpture; Keris Holder
Artist
Artist not recorded
CultureBalinese
DateLate 20th century
Place madeBALI, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia
MediumWood, paint
Dimensions39 1/2 × 14 × 12 in. (100.3302 × 35.5601 × 30.4801 cm)
Credit LineBequest from the Estates of Anne Ruggles Bromberg and Alan Robert Bromberg
Object numberA.2025.2.12
Collections
ProvenanceCollection of Anne R. Bromberg
DescriptionMedium sized wood sculpture in the form of Hanuman, reaching over to his left, meant to be holding a Keris, or dagger.Keris are magical daggers, with great meaning on several islands in Indonesia, including Bali. Keris must be worn and stored in very specific ways. They are very powerful and the dagger must never be pointed at anyone. For this reason, people may have a special holder to store and display their keris when it is not being worn. This is an extravagant example of a keris holder and is carved in the style of Balinese woodcarving. It is possibly from Mas, which is a village well-known for woodcarving.
