Gold, Silver & Brass: Jewellery of the Batak in Sumatra, Indonesia

The first book to examine the rich jewelry traditions of the Batak people in Indonesia is a gorgeous tribute to a vanishing way of life. Batak jewelry is characterized by a wide variety of materials and forms, and has many functions: Jewels can be status symbols, badges of rank, attributes of membership of a certain age group, amulets and talismans, or simply ornaments. Men, women, small children, and even babies were once adorned with gold, silver, brass, bronze, or the gold-and-copper alloy known as suasa. Today, the Batak wear traditional jewelry only for celebrations like weddings, and these stunning works are rapidly disappearing, being melted down or sold.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Five Continents Editions
Published: 01/01/2019
ISBN: 9788874396269
Pages: 192
Weight: 3.80lbs
Size: 12.00h x 10.60w x 0.80d