Little Temples in Gold – Majapahit Gold Rings

Pramabanan Temples.

On a visit in 2016 I did not do it justice to the experience. At many levels. Just one day at the heritage site. A visit scheduled during a very hot afternoon. (logistics wouldn’t allow it any other way). Heavy cameras. Too much to see – too little time – too little energy. And even post the event – the hundred of photographs wait remaining to be seen and processed and enjoyed.

One day there will be enough time! But chances are that by then I will have forgotten all the little things I want to do when I do have all that time!

Fortunately, Prambanan resurfaced in my head a few weeks ago – through an unexpected connection: Gold.

When one is generally ignorant like I am, one bumps into facts and stumbles into delightful revelations all the time. Am ‘wow‘ed by new facts constantly – facts that are not new to the world – just new to me personally. I wonder if my more knowledgeable acquaintances are living in as much of a state of rapture as I am….

And so I stumbled onto the idea of Majapahit gold rings.

These are so tiny that they cannot fit even my little finger. Or even a child’s little finger.

What are these then? Why do they bear a striking resemblance to the temples of Prambanan?

There are theories and conjectures. But no supporting evidence through temple sculptures or such.

One theory is that these are bird rings used to adorn the legs of pet birds in cages.

Another theory is that these are the temple rings mentioned in the Copper Plate Taji Charters of King Balitung : presents of gold rings decorated with a temple having one jewel at its top – all of fixed weight – were offered to official persons who attended ceremonies.

Whatever use they may have had, these gold bits that are less than 3 grams each have exquisite beauty!

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Similar examples may be found in important galleries:

1) YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY

2) ASIAN CIVILISATIONS MUSUEM

3) MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON

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Sept 2019