An Alor Hourglass-Shaped Bronze Drum, moko...

Description

An Alor Hourglass-Shaped Bronze Drum, moko
East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, circa 19th century

Hourglass-shaped bronze drums called mokos are still in use today on the island of Alor in the Indonesian archipelago for ritual celebrations and as part of marriage exchange. Ownership of certain types of moko conveys social status. The majority of them probably came from north-east Java. In 1916 the local government conducted a registration of the mokos on Alor Island and at that time they numbered over 2000. This large one has interesting floral or zoomorphic forms on both the upper and lower sections that incorporate the four lug handles as a kind of appendage. Cast bronze alloy with a dark honey brown patina.

Height: 21 inches

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