The Invisible World of the Kris The kris appears to belong to two worlds, the Sekala and Niskala as they are known in Bali, two forms of existence which can be defined as the Visible and the Invisible. The visible world of the kris relates to the use of the artefact, the forging technique, the materials used, the forms and artistic qualities, all of which seem to give the impression of an easily accessible world. The entrance to the invisible world, for its part, seems impervious and requires us to abandon our way of seeing, our knowledge, traditions, faith, beliefs and habits in their entirety, to enable us to see beyond, towards the other side, and behind the veil. Neither of these worlds is easy or difficult, however, and we soon realise that identifying which one we happen to be in is impossible, as the boundary between these two worlds is uncertain, weak and indistinct, and their space-time, real-imagined and visible-invisible coordinates are different from those with which we are familiar. It becomes difficult to distinguish between living things and inanimate objects, the tangible and the incorporeal, the present, past and future, and we come up against inexplicable energies which bear an unknown set of scales. The only way of choosing between the two paths of this unique world is to enter one or the other at random, but to enter and accept the invisible world we need a key. In the case of the kris that key is the awareness that the kris is a weapon with a spirit. Obviously, there is no scientific explanation for this, but we have to admit that the mystical, magical and spiritual realm of the kris, the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, is one of those special things which attract us, just like familiarising ourselves with some of its powers, although we may regard them as absurd and impossible, and also and especially if they are now forgotten or excluded. The Invisible World of the Kris is a book dedicated to oplology lovers, avid collectors, and to all those persons fond of arms and weapons. At the same time, this is an essay dedicated to any enthusiast interested in in-depth investigation of the complex and peculiar world of the kris: this dagger typical of the Indo-Malay area cannot be considered just as a weapon in itself but also a unique object rich in deep symbolisms that led to its recognition as a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2005. Title: The Invisible World of the Kris Author: Vanna Ghiringhelli Publisher: Tralerighe-Milan-Italy Hardcover book containing 141 pages (page 1 - 110 is in English language, page 110-139 is the same content in Italian language) 94 large and very clear illustrations with detailed comments and clear explanations Size: 28,7 x 22,5 cm Price: 50 Euro The Invisible World of the Kris is worldwide distributed by de Vries Antiek (Netherlands) and can be ordered by sending an email:  info@devriesantiek.nl De Vries Antiek Zandstraat 1 5473 RJ Heeswijk-Dinther Tel: +31 413 293900 Email: info@devriesantiek.nl Website: http://www.devriesantiek.nl Kerispage: http://www.kris-keris.com Worldwide shipping possible