In a traditional Javanese culture, the keris is not only regarded as mataa stabbing weapon with unique shapes and beauty of prestige, but also the completeness of spiritual cultures. There is a prevailing assumption among the traditional Javanese said, the new one can be considered complete if he already has five symbolic elements: suspicious, Turangga, homestead, women, Kukila.


Suspicious, literally means kris, Turangga means horse or vehicle (the symbol of today is a motorcycle or car), the homestead is the house, women in particular means the wife, and was literally Kukila birds. Symbolic meaning of birds in here, for a traditional Javanese man, he must be able to process, capture and enjoy the beauty and the art of working out. Suspicious, or keris, the symbolic meaning is the maturity, strength and virility. A traditional Javanese man, must be resilient and able to protect themselves, family or defend the country. Perlambangnya is kris.


At the time of the kingdoms in the past, the highest token value is the keris. Providing the most valuable of a Javanese king or his officers courtiers, the keris.


In its development, the keris in the environment can be a symbol of royal rank. Keris a king, of course different from the keris courtiers officers or subordinates. Keris blade is not only a different course, but also the details of the jewelry and the accompanying furniture were different.


Gradation of rank, from the owner of the keris, also judging from the sheaths that encase or wrap the keris. The sheath of a king, of course different from the sheath of his subordinates. When a knight, is fair if the sheath is a sheath worn with syllables (model) kasatriyan. Royal officials, wearing sheath Duchy. There are more than 25 variants of the sheath of Java in the past that could be indicators of rank owners. Even the area of origin can be traced from any warangkanya, whether the owner of the Yogyakarta, Surakarta, Banyumas, East Java, Madura, or Bali.


One of the uniqueness of the keris is strength in detail. Almost every detail is attached to the keris, either on the blade, sheath and all the furniture can be a symbol. From carving or even the keris handles, in the past people can view the status and rank. Varian also carved Javanese kris, as well as the sheath, there are various variants. Divided into two broad styles: Surakarta and Yogyakarta. Beyond that, of course there's more other style or carved sheaths outside Java such as: Madura, Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi, Sumatra.

Surakarta palace in the environment of the past, for example, semi-style carvings tunggak Pakubuwono or Yudowinatan, should only be worn by a king. Pendhok (metal shell to wrap the blade) kemalo color (sort of traditional paint red, green, brown and black), was intended to distinguish the degree and rank penyandangnya. Kemalo red color, for example, specifically for the King and his relatives, or noble rank as low as Regent. Kemalo green color, for the orderlies (ministers, assistant officer of King). Brown Pendhok kemalo, to the jacks or administrator of a medium. While black pendhok, for the courtiers, or the common people.


There are times when someone got an award from an official or authority for his services, in the form of a keris with certain decorations. One classic example is the keris with pot of gold with the relief kinatah Elephant-Lion, was awarded by the King of Mataram Sultan Agung to the officers who managed to crush the rebellion Pragola, Duchy Pati on the northern coast of Central Java.


When described in a sentence, a picture of Sultan Agung kinatah provision reads: Elephant Lion Siji Keris. Elephant 8, Lions 5, Kris 5, Siji 1. If you read from the back, reads the number of Java in 1558, the year the victory of Sultan Agung (Mataram) or Duchy of Pati.


In addition to rewards, keris kinatah ornate gold in the ganjanya, in the past also meant to be a warning time, years, which in a matter of course in Java. In a traditional Javanese cultural treasures, known as the chandra sengkala or sengkalan. Picture or form objects, animals, plants dikinatahkan can also be interpreted as pointing to the kronogram for years.


In the past, the keris is also used as a symbol of identity, whether it's self, family or even clan. Keris with dhapur (model), prestige (damascene) or a particular accessory, is characteristic of private property, a particular family or clan which has the advantage of personality or character in the community at large.


Dhapur Carubuk, with prestige abala priests priests, for example, used to be used by the Brahmins or the clergy. While pamor blarak SENGKELAT dhapur Ngirit, for the king or ruler.


Keris could also serve as a sign of attributes envoy of the King, or the Ambassador of the King. If someone gets a job from the king, such as to represent the King at an important event concerning state functions that contain the risk, then the person is king lent an heirloom kris belonged to the King that 'spiritual'nya weight commensurate with the weight assigned tasks. In the daily life of traditional Javanese, and also the keris at ceremonial functions, became a symbol of brotherhood, friendship, marriage. It has become common practice in social relationships with others, or one family with another family, they tied ropes to exchange a sign of friendship with the eyes. One symbol of brotherhood or friendship, used marked by the exchange of keris. Form friendships that use symbols like this, once regarded as a form close ties with a high level of ethics.


In traditional wedding ceremonies traditional Java, if a prospective bridegroom was unable to come, for example, was given the job in the country far away and could not attend the ceremony, he could "represent" symbolically with a keris his bride's heritage. In the marriage ceremony, the bride keris man treated like a man his own bride, seated alongside the bride in the wedding.


For traditional Javanese society, such marriage ceremony was considered valid, although the bride he was not physically present at the ceremony, and only "represented" a keris inheritance.


Still within the scope of ceremonial marriage. If the bride through the ceremony he Sungkeman (honoring one's parents, with my knees to worship one's parents), the keris is carried by the bride of the man must be removed first. This means, as much as any parent, should not be worshiped by a daughter who was carrying keris heritage. Because, in the traditional Javanese belief, the keris is considered older than the parents who in-sungkemi. Kris even older than anyone who attended the marriage ceremony. In the meaning of ancient Javanese mysticism, are intended for parents is not kuwalat (subject to bad consequences for disrespectful actions) of the bride kris man.


In family relationships, between parents and children, this kinship is also marked by gift giving in the Javanese cultural treasures known as bun buttons, or cundhuk ukel. Manifestations is a keris, complete with furniture provided parents to a daughter who had just married. It means that the future maintenance of the keris is the responsibility of her husband. A symbolic meaning also to surrender his daughter, and lived to be maintained by a husband who married her. In addition to temporal meanings of the above, the keris in traditional Javanese life also has a spiritual meaning: as a manifestation of the philosophy, will or inheritance. In the scope of the mystical world, as a talisman, a medium of communication and the spirit bersemayamnya or "yoni". This last point, although an understanding of ancient, but still many of modern Javanese people who practice it today.