Ceremonial ear pendant (mamuli), early 19th century-20th century ::

Details

Place where the work was made: East Sumba → Sumba → East Nusa Tenggara → Lesser Sunda Islands → Indonesia
Date: early 19th century-20th century
Media category: Metalwork
Materials used: gold
Dimensions: 9.0 x 11.0 x 1.8 cm
Signature & date: Not signed. Not dated.
Credit: Goldie Sternberg Southeast Asian Art Fund 1992
Location: South Building, lower level 1, Asian Lantern galleries
Accession number: 265.1992
Copyright: Reproduction requests
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About

Ear pendants ('mamuli') were part of the store of sacred heirlooms, along with old textiles and porcelains, handed down through the noble families of the island of Sumba, at the eastern end of the Indonesian island chain. Secret and ritualistic objects, 'mamuli' were brought down from dark attic stores by the 'rato', or priest, and used in ceremonies to make contact with the spirits ('marapu'). It was only for special occasions such as funerals that these spiritually charged objects were released from their dark hiding places, for fear that their great powers would bring havoc and disaster upon those who saw them. With such powers accorded them the 'mamuli' were regarded as emblems of the social and political powers of a family and its lineage.

Art Gallery Handbook, 1999. pg. 300.

Exhibition history

Shown in 5 exhibitions

Great gifts, great patrons, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 17 Aug 1994–19 Oct 1994
Symbols and Ceremonies: Indonesian Textile Traditions, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 13 Apr 2006–28 May 2006
The connoisseur and the philanthropist: 30 years of the Sternberg Collection of Chinese Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 31 Jan 2014–27 Apr 2014
Glorious, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 27 May 2017–06 Jan 2019
Elemental, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 30 Jul 2022–2024

Bibliography

Referenced in 6 publications

Matt Cox, The Connoisseur and the Philanthropist: 30 years of the Sternberg Collection, 'Southeast Asian Art', pg. 25-29, Sydney, 31 Jan 2014, 27 (colour illus.).
Niki van den Heuvel, Ancestral art of the Indonesian archipelago, 'Archipelago of the ancestors: art of island Southeast Asia', pg. 14-24, Sydney, 2017, 19 (colour illus.).
Bruce James, Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, 'Asian Collection: South-East Asia', pg. 298-301, Sydney, 1999, 300 (colour illus.).
Robyn Maxwell., Australian National Gallery Association News, 'Masters of the House: Gold Pendants from Eastern Indonesia', Canberra, Sep 1988-Oct 1988.
Jackie Menzies (Editor), The Asian Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2003, 346 (colour illus.).
Jackie Menzies, AGNSW Collections, 'Asian Art - India, South-East Asia, China, Tibet, Korea, Japan', pg. 173-228, Sydney, 1994, 187 (colour illus.).