A short dagger with a wavy blade, traditionally used in Southeast Asian cultures.
From Malay 'keris,' a weapon with deep cultural significance in Malaysia and Indonesia. Also spelled 'kris' or 'creese,' the word traveled through European languages in the 1500s-1600s.
The wavy blade of a kriss isn't just decorative—it creates a wider wound and was thought in Javanese culture to have spiritual power, making it both weapon and spiritual object!
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