Title
Large gold double axes frontal
Creator
Year/Period
19th century
Region
West Sumba Island, West Nusa Tenggara, Eastern Indonesian Archipelago
Material
Dimension
Object size: 25.0 x 36.8 x 0.5 cm
Accession No.
2002-00702
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. Edmond Chin
These double axes are typical of jewellery from the islands of Eastern Indonesia. This type of ornament was often worn as a pectoral or chest ornament and large examples, like the uppermost, are typically family heirlooms. Their similarity indicates the widespread contact amongst the island peoples of Nusa Tenggara, the large group of islands that make up Eastern Indonesia. Often craftsmen from certain islands, most notably Ndao, serviced other communities that did not have their own specialised goldsmiths.
