The kris or keris is a distinctive， asymmetrical dagger from Indonesia. Both a weapon and spiritual object， krises are often considered to possess magical powers. The earliest krises known were made around 1360 AD and most probably spread from the island of throughout Southeast Asia.

Kris blades are usually narrow with a wide， asymmetrical base. The different metals formed into the blade give the steel its distinctive watered appearance called \"Pamor\". The sheath is often made from wood， though examples from ivory， even gold， abound. A kris' aesthetic value covers the \"Dhapur\" （the form and design of the blade， with around 150 variants）， the \"Pamor\" （the pattern of metal alloy decoration on the blade， with around 60 variants）， and \"Tangguh\" referring to the age and origin of a kris. A blade smith， or empu， makes the blade in layers of different iron ores and meteorite nickel. Some blades can be made in a relatively short time， while more legendary weapons take years to complete. In high quality kris blades， the metal is folded dozens or hundreds of times and handled with the utmost precision. Empu are highly respected craftsmen with additional knowledge in literature， history， the occult， etc.

克里斯是印度尼西亞一種獨特的不對稱配劍，由于它常被認(rèn)為擁有魔力，所以既是武器，又是一種祭祀用品。目前，人們所知的最早配劍大約鑄于1360年左右，它很可能通過爪哇島傳遍東南亞。

這種配劍的刃部通常很窄，配有不對稱的刀把。由不同材料制成的刀刃呈顯眼的波紋外觀，被稱為“帕莫爾”。劍鞘通常為木制，但鐵制的也大量存在，甚至還有金制劍鞘。它的審美價值體現(xiàn)于“達(dá)潑爾”（劍刃的形狀和設(shè)計，約近150種）、“帕莫爾”（刃上合金的裝飾圖案，約有60種）和“坦戈”，即配劍的歷史和來源。一般來說，鑄劍鐵匠（稱“安普”）選擇不同鐵礦層的材料和隕石中的鎳層制作刀刃。許多劍刃可以在相當(dāng)短的時間內(nèi)完成，而傳奇故事中的武器要花費幾年時間。高質(zhì)量劍刃的鑄造需要融合多種金屬，數(shù)百次的淬煉以及極其精確的處理。因為擁有文學(xué)、歷史和玄學(xué)等知識，鑄造配劍的工匠受人尊敬。

Krises were worn everyday and at special ceremonies， with heirloom blades being handed down through successive generations. Both men and women wear them， though those for women are smaller. A rich spirituality and mythology developed around the weapon. Krises are used for display， as talismans with magical powers， weapons， sanctified heirloom， auxiliary equipment for court soldiers， as an accessory for ceremonial dress， an indicator of social status， a symbol of heroism， etc.

Until the 1990s， kris-making activities in Java had almost come to a standstill due to economic difficulties and changing socio-cultural values. However， thanks to several concerned kris experts， the tradition is being revived and kris craftsmanship has increased again.

作為世代相襲的傳家寶，配劍通常在平日和一些特殊慶典上佩帶。其中，為女人設(shè)計的配劍要小一些。配劍富有精神靈性和神話意味，已經(jīng)成為具有魔力的護身符、武器、神圣的傳家寶、法庭軍人的輔助武器、慶典禮服的裝飾、社會地位的標(biāo)志、英雄品質(zhì)的象征等。

20世紀(jì)90年代時期，由于經(jīng)濟不景氣和社會文化價值觀的改變，爪哇的配劍鑄造活動幾乎停止。但由于許多關(guān)心此項藝術(shù)的專家們的參與，這一傳統(tǒng)正在復(fù)興，鑄造配劍的工匠數(shù)量也再次增長。