3375

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    Balinese Silver-Mounted Death Ritual (Suddha-Mala) Knife

    Bali, Indonesia
    19th-early 20th century

    length: 28cm, width of blade at widest point: 3.8cm, weight: 162g

    Available Enquire

    Provenance

    UK art market

    This ritual knife or axe comprises an iron blade with one side plain and the other inlaid with silver strips, and a wooden handle encased in thick sheet silver, with the end filled with a natural resin or pitch. The silver inlay to the blade is in a meandering Hindu swastika motif.

    Such blades were used on Bali for suddhamala rites – exorcism rituals designed to purify living people of demons. Reichle (2010, p. 216) adds that such machete-like axes also belong to a class of Balinese weapons used during death rituals. Wentholt & Carpenter (2025, p. 129) concur saying that such weapons were used likes axes during cremation rituals to symbolically free to the soul in preparation for its journey to the abode of the ancestors.

    Two related examples appear in Ramseyer (1977, plate 94) and Reichle (2010, p. 216). Two others are illustrated in Wentholt & Carpenter (2025, p. 128).

    The knife is in fine condition. The silver handle has a fine patina. The iron of the blade has the expected tarnishing, and there is some minor loss to the silver inlay.

    References

    Ramseyer, U., The Art and Culture of Bali, Oxford University Press, 1977.

    Reichle, N. (ed.), Bali: Art, Ritual & Performance, Asian Art Museum, 2010.

    Wentholt, A. & Carpenter, B., F.J.L. Ghijsels – Architect in Indonesia (1910-1929): The Quiet Collector, Talisman Publishing, 2025.

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