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Carved Ear Ornament, late 19th – early 20th Century
Dayak culture; Borneo, Indonesia
Hornbill; 1 7/8 x 3 3/4 in
2005.3.1
Don and Barbara Greek Fund Purchase
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Indonesia is truly a melting pot due to its history as a crucial trade route connecting the Far East, the Middle East and beyond. Because of its unique history, the Indonesian culture is a synthesis of indigenous customs that contains elements from Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. The Dayak people of Borneo are the most well know group in the outer islands due much to their headhunting past. Dayak is a loose term describing numerous ethnic groups that have their own dialects, customs, laws, territories and cultures, but that share similar distinguishing traits.
Jewelry is a part of the symbolic vocabulary of a culture, which informs people of their place in their world. In Dayak culture this form of adornment speaks of the history of the wearer and often times is imbued with supernatural powers that protects the wearer. Among the Dayak, the Hornbill bird has a revered status. In the interior of Borneo where the Dayak people dwell, the effigy of the Hornbill represents the Garuda, a Hindu divinity and mount of the god Vishnu. To the Dayak people Garuda as Hornbill bird acts as an escort to the spirit of the dead into the afterlife. Representation of the Hornbill as well as the elements from the bird itself (beak, feathers and skulls), are made in to household decoration and pieces of jewelry that are intrinsic to the culture. Housed in the permanent collection of Oceanic art at the Bowers Museum is a beautiful example of Dayak artistry. The ear ornament is fashioned from the reddish beak of a Hornbill and delicately carved with filigree swirls along the sides while a mythological bird creature without stretched talons adorns the face of the ornament. The Hornbill is a constant reminder to the wearer of the transitory nature of life.
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