Dagger handle in the shape of a demon

This exquisitely carved object was once the handle of a Balinese kris (dagger). Krisses have long played important roles in Balinese society, and, in pre-colonial Bali, most men possessed at least one. Krisses were weapons that could be used in hand-to-hand warfare, but were also sacred heirlooms, spiritually powerful objects, and markers of status. The most significant part of a kris was its blade. Undoubtedly some of the power ascribed to krisses derived from the danger of their production. Metalworkers, especially producers of weapons, have long held special status in Indonesia. They were especially powerful people, who took ores from the earth and, using dangerous methods of working with fire, produced objects both practical and beautiful through a kind of alchemy.

Royal krisses often had handles made of precious materials, such as ivory or gold encrusted with gems. The handles frequently depict demonic figures, sometimes referred to as ogres (raksasa), and sometimes the wind god Vayu, father of the Pandava brother Bhima, a hero of the epic, the Mahabharata.