Ear Ornament
Unknown Artist
Second half of the 8th–second half of the 10th century
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
H. 3/8 in. (0.9 cm); Diam. 9/16 in. (1.4 cm)
Classification
Jewelry
Culture & Period
Indonesia (Java) · Central Javanese period
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Samuel Eilenberg-Jonathan P. Rosen Collection of Indonesian Gold, Bequest of Samuel Eilenberg and Gift of Jonathan P. Rosen, 1998
Accession Number
1998.544.166
Art Historical Context
This delicate gold ear ornament, hailing from Java, Indonesia, during the Central Javanese periodsecond half of the th to second half of the 10th), exemplifies the refined artistry of ancient Southeast Asian elites. Measuring just 3/8 inch high and 9/16 inch in diameter, its diminutive scale belies its cultural weight, crafted for personal adornment in a time when grand Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms the Sailendras and Matarams flourished, building iconic temples such as Borob and Prambanan. Gold, a precious medium symbolizing wealth, power, and divine favor, was meticulously worked into jewelry tha...