Sign on ‘Ki Dukun’ kris in the era of the Sumedang Larang Kingdom (1500s AD), West Java, Indonesia

The kris is a dagger with a decorated blade and an ornamentally carved pistol-grip handle. It is peculiar to Indonesia (Frankel, 1963). This study aims to identify important and valuable meanings in the kris made during the Sumedang Larang kingdom era in Indonesia. This study used qualitative research methods with an ethnographic design and a semiotic approach to interpreting codes, signs, and forms. The data were obtained from interviews, observation, documentation, and artifacts. The interview data were obtained from historians who researched the Sumedang Larang kingdom, Prabu Geusan Ulun museum staff, Sumedang royal heirs, royal heirloom experts, ustad (Islamic religious teacher), calligraphers, and philologists. The documentation data were obtained from ancient manuscripts and literature discussing the history of Sumedang Larang. The visual data were obtained from a kris artifact left by Prabu Gajah Agung named “Ki Dukun”. The results of the research show that signs on Ki Dukun’s kris have become important markers regarding royal identity, cultural signs (syncretism), and models for the spread of Islam in the Sumedang region in the past.