Kris wedge or sliver. "Kris" is the more frequently used spelling in the West, but "keris" is more popular in the dagger's native lands, as exemplified by the late Bambang Harsrinuksmo's popular book entitled "Ensiklopedi Keris" (Kris Encyclopedia). Two notable exceptions are the Philippines where it is usually called "kalis" or "kris" (although the Filipino "kalis" is a sword, rather than a dagger), and Thailand where it is always spelled kris and pronounced either as "kris" or "krit". In the Yala dialect the word is "kareh". Other spellings used by European colonists include "cryse", "crise", "criss", "kriss" and "creese." Kris history
Kris straight blades but this became less frequent over time. Tomé Pires, in the early 16th century, describes the importance of the kris to the Javanese. While it is commonly believed that kris were the primary weapons wielded by fighters in the past, they were actually carried by warriors as a secondary armament if they lost their main weapon, which was usually a spear. For commoners however, kris were worn on a daily basis, especially when travelling because it might be needed for self-defense. During times of peace, people wore kris as part of ceremonial attire. Ceremonial kris were often meticulously