kawaca

File:Cuirass depicted in Borobudur, Divyavadana reliefs.jpg, depicted in the Borobudur temple.]]

Petrus Josephus Zoetmulder, in his Old Javanese-English dictionary, defines kawaca as a chain mail, possibly shaped like a jacket, which is made of metal. The word also has a second meaning, namely the shirt worn by the clergy.{{rp|823}} Irawan Djoko Nugroho argues that in a military context, kawaca means armor. It is shaped like a long tube and is made of cast copper.{{rp|202, 386}} According to Jiří Jákl, kawaca was a metal breastplate worn on the upper body of a high-ranking soldier.{{cite thesis |last=Jákl |first=Jiří |date=2014 |title=Literary Representations of War and Warfare in Old Javanese Kakawin Poetry |type= |publisher=The University of Queensland |degree=PhD}}{{rp|78}} In high Balinese language, kwaca or kuwaca is a general term for a jacket, although it used to mean armor in Old Javanese.{{Cite journal|last1=Jákl|first1=Jiří|last2=Hoogervorst|first2=Tom|date=2017|title=Custom, Combat, and Ceremony: Java and the Indo-Persian Textile Trade|journal=Bulletin de l'École française d'Extrême-Orient|volume=103|pages=207–235|doi=10.3406/befeo.2017.6248 }}{{rp|216}} In modern Javanese language, kawaca means cuirass or chain mail.{{Cite book |last1=Robson |first1=Stuart |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ZvTAgAAQBAJ&dq=javanese+chainmail&pg=PT627 |title=Javanese English Dictionary |last2=Wibisono |first2=Singgih |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |year=2013 |isbn=9781462910618}}

The Kakawin Ramayana (c. 870 AD), which is the Javanese version of Valmiki's epic Ramayana (c. 500 CE), mentions clothing and armor that reflect the era. A member of the royal family is said to wear crown, padaka (collar, medallion, or breastplate), karambalangan (girdle or plastron) and use gold-plated armor even in battle.{{rp|802}}{{Cite journal|last=Tjoa-Bonatz|first=Mai Lin|date=2019|title=JAVA : ARTS AND REPRESENTATIONS. Art historical and Archaeometric Analyses of Ancient Jewellery (7–16th C.) : The Prillwitz Collection of Javanese Gold|url=https://journals.openedition.org/archipel/1018?lang=en|journal=Archipel|volume=|issue=97|pages=19–68|doi=10.4000/archipel.1018|s2cid=197855704 |doi-access=free}}{{rp|27}} Kakawin Ramayana also mentions the term watek makawaca, which means armored troops.{{rp|77}}

A suit of armor, or specifically cuirass,{{Cite book|last=Wales|first=H. G. Quaritch|date=1952|url=http://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.10026|title=Ancient South-East Asian Warfare|location=London|publisher=Bernard Quaritch|language=}}{{rp|47}} is depicted on the reliefs of the Divyavadana story in the Borobudur temple. In that story, it is said that Rudrayana sent a gift to king Bimbisara in the form of his famous cuirass which not only had miraculous powers but was also adorned with priceless gems.{{Cite book|last=Krom|first=N.J.|date=1900|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281274/page/n289/mode/2up?q=cuirass|title=Barabudur: Archaeological Description Volume I|location=The Hague|publisher=Martinus Nijhoff}}{{rp|282}} The cuirass is depicted as sleeveless and apparently closed in front.{{Cite book|last=Foucher|first=A.|date=1917|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.pahar.2045/page/n425/mode/2up?q=cuirass|title=Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central Asian Archaeology|location=London|publisher=Humphrey Milford}}{{rp|233, plate XXXVII}}

{{Portal|Indonesia}}

• Baju rantai
• Baju lamina
• Baju empurau
• Baru Oroba
• Baru lema'a
• Siping-siping
• Karambalangan

{{Indonesian weapons}}

Category:Indonesian inventions

Category:Asian armour

Category:Body armor

Category:Military equipment of antiquity

Category:Military equipment of Indonesia

{{armor-stub}}