This rather extraordinary keris bears an inlayed inscription referring to Sultan Abdul Jalil, the Johor-Riau ruler, who reigned from 1699 until his death in 1719. The pattern-welded blade appears to have come from Java and could well date to the 17th century, making it contemporaneous with the Sultan. However, the blade and dress of the keris have been heavily reworked at a much later date, possibly in the middle of the 19th century. The scabbard is a Javanese form but has been covered in repoussé (a process in which decorative protursions are created by beating sheet metal with a hammer) silver sheet in distinctly Riau-Lingga style. The hilt is a rare Riau form that resembles the hilt of the keris tajong, a form found in the Northeast Malay Peninsula.
