Balinese Knife “tiuk Pengentas”

The "Tiuk Pengentas" is a knife used for funeral ceremonies. Most Balinese believe in reincarnation and when a deceased person is cremated, they are first carried in public with a grand procession. Then the priest cuts the cloth cord from the body of the deceased with the "Tiuk Pengentas", which resembles a separation of the person from earthly life, both physically and mentally. The term "wedung" is often used for these ceremonial knives, but "wedung" is a Javanese term, used for a Javanese ceremonial knife. The term "Tiuk Pengentas" is Bahasa Balinese and comes specifically from Buleleng and Singaraja.

A rather elegant and unusual example with a stylized karbouw horn handle, enclosed in brass ferrules. The right side of the blade has an intricate decoration in thick silver inlay of foliage in the typical Balinese manner. The back features a stylistic "naga" demon chiseled in steel and has segmented sections filled with brass. The left side of the blade features an etched foliage decoration surrounding a small groove that runs through the central segment of the blade.

Handle Length: 14.5cm
Blade Length: 25cm
Blade spine Thickness: 6.5mm
Overall Length: 39.5cm

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