Product Description

Antique Tanimbar Earrings 1

Material: Gold
Style: Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia
Size: Height 4.5 cm and 4.75 cm, Width 3.5 cm and 3.5 cm
Order Number: MHSATE1

The Tanimbar Islands are located in the South Moluccas and comprise over 60 islands which are 135 miles long and 70 miles wide. They depend on boats as their main transport.

Solid, pear-shaped gold earrings known as robot earrings (for obvious reasons) or lelbutir. Even the local people call the appendages ‘arms’ and ‘legs’. The bottom parts are flat, instead of being round as is usual. They were used in a gift exchange between marriage partners. The wife-takers gave the earrings to the bride’s family.

There is a similar pair of earrings in the Collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum of Geneva shown in Power and Gold, Jewelry from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Prestel-Verlag, 1985, page 302.

19th century or early 20th century.

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