Material: Brass, tortoiseshell
Style: Sumba, Indonesia
Size: Height 6.5 cm, Width 11 cm
Order Number: MHAASC2

In the 19th century most Indonesian women wore their hair tied up in a tight bun. Rich women wore decorative combs, such as this one to hold their hair in place.

The design can be traced back to Southern China and they came to be popular across much of island Southeast Asia, as far as Timor. They were worn until well into the 20th century.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 319-321.

19th – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumba Comb 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: West Sumba, Indonesia
Size: Height 5.5 cm, Width 8.25 cm
Order Number: MHSASMM1

Madaka (also called mendaka) are ritual objects found only in West Sumba. They are the rarest and most sacred of heirlooms. The oldest versions could date back 5 or 6 centuries.It is not clear if they were used as an earring or pendant or both.

They are asymmetrical versions of the omega shape, with a row of radiating spokes. One of the two finials on each side of the opening protrudes more than the other and is similar in this respect to the other open oval forms, like the Batak sitepal and duri-duri earrings. The overall shape resembles a seashell.

The madaka may be a stylised naga dragon – the radiating spokes are its spine and the opening  is its mouth.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, page 152.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumba Madaka 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: West Sumba, Indonesia
Size: Height 5 cm, Width 4 cm
Order Number: MHSASMM2

Madaka (also called mendaka) are ritual objects found only in West Sumba. They are the rarest and most sacred of heirlooms. The oldest versions could date back 5 or 6 centuries.It is not clear if they were used as an earring or pendant or both.

They are asymmetrical versions of the omega shape, with a row of radiating spokes. One of the two finials on each side of the opening protrudes more than the other and is similar in this respect to the other open oval forms, like the Batak sitepal and duri-duri earrings. The overall shape resembles a seashell.

The madaka may be a stylised naga dragon – the radiating spokes are its spine and the opening  is its mouth.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, page 152.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumba Madaka 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: East Sumba, Indonesia
Size: Height 4.5 cm, Width 3.5 cm
Order Number:  MHSASMM4

Mamuli are fertility symbols. The form invokes the life-giving power of female genitalia and refers back to the ancestors and forward to continuity of lineages. They are avidly sought by collectors and museums.

This is an example of the core mamuli form. It was first seen in the Neolithic and Bronze ages and is one of the most archaic forms in Indonesian jewelry. The simplest is the diamond shape and central round hole extending down to a flared bottom. It is similar to the uppercase Greek letter omega.

They are either male or female. Male mamuli are lavishly decorated with beadwork and braid work and have bases on which stand human, animal and bird figures or warriors and horse riders. Horses’ tails are always held high. Their riders are noblemen. Female mamuli are simpler and do not have a base or legs. They both symbolise female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

The most valuable are only worn during important ceremonies. Mamuli are given by an East Sumbanese man in return for a wife. They are used at funerals and serve as sacred altar objects employed by priests to contact the spirits (marapu). The most sacred in East Sumba are stored in the attics of clan houses. There are fewer restrictions in West Sumba.

Most are in fact made by specialists from nearby islands of Savu and Ndao or Savu or Balinese immigrants living in Sumba, or Chinese metalsmiths.

Mamuli.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

Map of Sumba.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 130 – 148.

Early – mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumba Mamuli 4 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: East Sumba, Indonesia
Size: Height 4.25 cm, Width 3.5 cm
Order Number:  MHSASMM5

Mamuli are fertility symbols. The form invokes the life-giving power of female genitalia and refers back to the ancestors and forward to continuity of lineages. They are avidly sought by collectors and museums.

This is an example of the core mamuli form. It was first seen in the Neolithic and Bronze ages and is one of the most archaic forms in Indonesian jewelry. The simplest is the diamond shape and central round hole extending down to a flared bottom. It is similar to the uppercase Greek letter omega.

They are either male or female. Male mamuli are lavishly decorated with beadwork and braid work and have bases on which stand human, animal and bird figures or warriors and horse riders. Horses’ tails are always held high. Their riders are noblemen. Female mamuli are simpler and do not have a base or legs. They both symbolise female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

The most valuable are only worn during important ceremonies. Mamuli are given by an East Sumbanese man in return for a wife. They are used at funerals and serve as sacred altar objects employed by priests to contact the spirits (marapu). The most sacred in East Sumba are stored in the attics of clan houses. There are fewer restrictions in West Sumba.

Most are in fact made by specialists from nearby islands of Savu and Ndao or Savu or Balinese immigrants living in Sumba, or Chinese metalsmiths.

Mamuli.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

Map of Sumba.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 130 – 148.

Early – mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumba Mamuli 5 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: East Sumba, Indonesia
Size: Height 4 cm, Width 3.5 cm
Order Number:  MHSASMM6

Mamuli are fertility symbols. The form invokes the life-giving power of female genitalia and refers back to the ancestors and forward to continuity of lineages. They are avidly sought by collectors and museums.

This is an example of the core mamuli form. It was first seen in the Neolithic and Bronze ages and is one of the most archaic forms in Indonesian jewelry. The simplest is the diamond shape and central round hole extending down to a flared bottom. It is similar to the uppercase Greek letter omega.

They are either male or female. Male mamuli are lavishly decorated with beadwork and braid work and have bases on which stand human, animal and bird figures or warriors and horse riders. Horses’ tails are always held high. Their riders are noblemen. Female mamuli are simpler and do not have a base or legs. They both symbolise female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

The most valuable are only worn during important ceremonies. Mamuli are given by an East Sumbanese man in return for a wife. They are used at funerals and serve as sacred altar objects employed by priests to contact the spirits (marapu). The most sacred in East Sumba are stored in the attics of clan houses. There are fewer restrictions in West Sumba.

Most are in fact made by specialists from nearby islands of Savu and Ndao or Savu or Balinese immigrants living in Sumba, or Chinese metalsmiths.

Mamuli.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

Map of Sumba.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 130 – 148.

Early – mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumba Mamuli 6 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: East Sumba, Indonesia
Size: Height 4.75 cm, Width 4 cm
Order Number:  MHSASMM7

Mamuli are fertility symbols. The form invokes the life-giving power of female genitalia and refers back to the ancestors and forward to continuity of lineages. They are avidly sought by collectors and museums.

This is an example of the core mamuli form. It was first seen in the Neolithic and Bronze ages and is one of the most archaic forms in Indonesian jewelry. The simplest is the diamond shape and central round hole extending down to a flared bottom. It is similar to the uppercase Greek letter omega.

They are either male or female. Male mamuli are lavishly decorated with beadwork and braid work and have bases on which stand human, animal and bird figures or warriors and horse riders. Horses’ tails are always held high. Their riders are noblemen. Female mamuli are simpler and do not have a base or legs. They both symbolise female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

The most valuable are only worn during important ceremonies. Mamuli are given by an East Sumbanese man in return for a wife. They are used at funerals and serve as sacred altar objects employed by priests to contact the spirits (marapu). The most sacred in East Sumba are stored in the attics of clan houses. There are fewer restrictions in West Sumba.

Most are in fact made by specialists from nearby islands of Savu and Ndao or Savu or Balinese immigrants living in Sumba, or Chinese metalsmiths.

Mamuli.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

Map of Sumba.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 130 – 148.

Early – mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumba Mamuli 7 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: East Sumba, Indonesia
Size: Height 8 cm, Width 6 cm
Order Number:  MHSASMM8

Mamuli are fertility symbols. The form invokes the life-giving power of female genitalia and refers back to the ancestors and forward to continuity of lineages. They are avidly sought by collectors and museums.

This is an example of the core mamuli form. It was first seen in the Neolithic and Bronze ages and is one of the most archaic forms in Indonesian jewelry. The simplest is the diamond shape and central round hole extending down to a flared bottom. It is similar to the uppercase Greek letter omega.

They are either male or female. Male mamuli are lavishly decorated with beadwork and braid work and have bases on which stand human, animal and bird figures or warriors and horse riders. Horses’ tails are always held high. Their riders are noblemen. Female mamuli are simpler and do not have a base or legs. They both symbolise female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

The most valuable are only worn during important ceremonies. Mamuli are given by an East Sumbanese man in return for a wife. They are used at funerals and serve as sacred altar objects employed by priests to contact the spirits (marapu). The most sacred in East Sumba are stored in the attics of clan houses. There are fewer restrictions in West Sumba.

Most are in fact made by specialists from nearby islands of Savu and Ndao or Savu or Balinese immigrants living in Sumba, or Chinese metalsmiths.

This mamuli is with water buffaloes. They were first domesticated during the Austronesian period about 4,000 years ago and have played an important place in Indonesian religions and economy. There are buffalo images throughout Indonesia. They are seen on the roofs of Minangkabau houses in Sumatra  and rice granary doors in Torajaland in Sulawesi. They are sacrificed in huge funeral ceremonies for aristocrats in Sumba. They indicate wealth and status.

Mamuli.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

Map of Sumba.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 130 – 148.

Early – mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumba Mamuli 8 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: East Sumba, Indonesia
Size: Height 8.5 cm, Width 7 cm
Order Number:  MHSASMM9

Mamuli are fertility symbols. The form invokes the life-giving power of female genitalia and refers back to the ancestors and forward to continuity of lineages. They are avidly sought by collectors and museums.

This is an example of the core mamuli form. It was first seen in the Neolithic and Bronze ages and is one of the most archaic forms in Indonesian jewelry. The simplest is the diamond shape and central round hole extending down to a flared bottom. It is similar to the uppercase Greek letter omega.

They are either male or female. Male mamuli are lavishly decorated with beadwork and braid work and have bases on which stand human, animal and bird figures or warriors and horse riders. Horses’ tails are always held high. Their riders are noblemen. Female mamuli are simpler and do not have a base or legs. They both symbolise female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

The most valuable are only worn during important ceremonies. Mamuli are given by an East Sumbanese man in return for a wife. They are used at funerals and serve as sacred altar objects employed by priests to contact the spirits (marapu). The most sacred in East Sumba are stored in the attics of clan houses. There are fewer restrictions in West Sumba.

Most are in fact made by specialists from nearby islands of Savu and Ndao or Savu or Balinese immigrants living in Sumba, or Chinese metalsmiths.

This mamuli is with water buffaloes. They were first domesticated during the Austronesian period about 4,000 years ago and have played an important place in Indonesian religions and economy. There are buffalo images throughout Indonesia. They are seen on the roofs of Minangkabau houses in Sumatra  and rice granary doors in Torajaland in Sulawesi. They are sacrificed in huge funeral ceremonies for aristocrats in Sumba. They indicate wealth and status.

Mamuli.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

Map of Sumba.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 130 – 148.

Early – mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumba Mamuli 9 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Horn
Style: East Sumba, Indonesia
Size: Height 7 cm, Diameter 16 cm
Order Number: MHSASPH1

Sumba occupies about 11,000 square kilometres and consists of large limestone plateaux covered with rough grasses and broken by valleys and hills. Thousands of horses live in the vast grasslands of East Sumba. Horses and cattle comprise wealth for the aristocrats in this dry, stony country, which is difficult for agriculture.

The peci is a cap worn by Moslem men. It is a truncated cone, usually made of black or embroidered felt, cotton or velvet. It is worn on formal, religious and state occasions, as well as weddings and funerals.

The name peci is probably derived from the Dutch word petje meaning ‘small hat’. The black cap was modelled on Kemal Ataturk’s fez, but without its Islamic associations. Sukarno, the first President of Indonesia, made it popular. He promoted it as a symbol of nationalist identity for men, whatever their religion.

This one, made of horn, belonged to the head man of a village in East Sumba.

Mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Sumba Peci Hat appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Jambi, Sumatra
Size: Length 174 cm, width 90 cm
Order Number: T107A

The post Jambi Batik appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Palembang, Sumatra
Size: Length 252 cm, width 106.5 cm
Order Number: T107B

The post Palembang Batik appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Java
Size: Length 199 cm, width 107 cm
Order Number: T101

The post Pekalongan Batik Sarong 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Sumba
Size: Length 260 cm, width 128 cm
Order Number: T95

The post Sumba 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Wood
Style: Sumba, Indonesia
Size: Left: Height 28 cm; Middle: Height 26 cm; Right: Height 27 cm
Order Number: MHSS1

In animist Southeast Asia the origin of human life is thanks to the ancestors, as are all skills, knowledge, materials, prosperity and fertility. It is vital to remember and honour them. Ancestor figures are created as a focus to venerate the founding forbears.

Sumba is an island in eastern Indonesia, one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, in the province of East Nusa Tenggara. It is 3 islands east of Bali just below Flores.

Before colonization by western Europeans in the 1500s, Sumba was inhabited by Melanesian and Austronesian people. In 1522 the Portuguese arrived. By 1866 Sumba belonged to the Dutch East Indies, although it did not come under real Dutch administration until the 20th century. Sumba has a highly stratified society based on a caste system.

25% to 30% of the population practise the animist Marapu religion, worshiping ancestors, local deities and minor spirits. The remainder are Christian.

Note the seated ancestor figures have dramatic elongated faces, with sunken depressions for eyes, smooth hollow cheeks, and long pointed noses. The chin almost disappears, leaving a minimalist slit for a mouth.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Sumba Ancestor Figures appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Java
Size: Length 207 cm, width 102.5 cm
Order Number: T105

The post Tiga Negri Sarong 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.