'Sunken Kingdoms of Indonesia' opens at German museum

'Sunken Kingdoms of Indonesia' opens at German museum

By Kunang Helmi Picard

HILDESHEIM, Germany (JP): Visitors to the Roemer-und Pelizaeus
Museum in Hildesheim, Germany can see "Sunken Kingdoms of
Indonesia", an important show of 252 artifacts celebrating
Indonesia's 50th year of independence.

It is indeed a bumper year for Indonesia enthusiasts. They can
travel around Europe studying several objects of pivotal
importance before the objects are stashed away into the archives
of various Indonesian and European museums. Some may remember
various 1991 Festival of Indonesia (KIAS) exhibits in the U.S.
The artifacts that are able to withstand the public exposure are
included in the show, as well as stunning gold pieces from a
recent, smaller Musee Guimet show in Paris.

The brunt of the work and research was done by Prof. Arne and
Dr. Eva Eggebrecht from Hildesheim. The Eggebrecht team decided
that a show spanning the cultural history of the Indonesian
archipelago, from prehistoric times to the beginning of the 20th
century, should be highlighted with the archeological discoveries
of the Classical Period between 500 and 1500 A.D. They also
wanted to underline the religious tolerance in Indonesia.
Although it has the largest Moslem population in the world,
Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity are also respected. Therefore
an important aspect of the show are the artifacts from the 8th
and 9th centuries A.D. from the Borobudur temple and the gold and
silver objects discovered in Plosokuning, Wonoboyo, Klaten,
Central Java.

The motif on the show's posters, Shiwa Mahadewa, is counted
amongst the world's largest and most beautiful bronze statues.
Another precious object on show is the massive silver statue of
the youthful Boddhisattwa Manjushri.

A 9.2 centimeter tall, 14th century gold statue of a nymph is
also a show favorite. She holds her sarong with her left hand
before her breast and the seam of her selendang (shawl) in her
right to reveal her petticoat decorated with leaves and a kala
(scorpion) head. This elegant repousse figure is reminiscent of
Majapahit terra-cotta art.

The simplicity of a bronze of a man in Cibarusah, West Java is
also striking. He wears a simple folded cloth on his head and a
necklace of pearls completed by a single bracelet on each wrist.
Experts still disagree on when it was made, but the posture of
the man is that of a Dongson figure. Therefore, it is assumed
that it portrays an early inhabitant of Java from around 100 A.D.

An even earlier piece from the island of Roti in 100 B.C., is
a 150 cm tall bronze depiction of Surya Stambha from the Mpu
Tantular Museum in Surabaya, East Java. There is also a Dongson
drum similar to the moko drums of the island of Alor, East Nusa
Tenggara.

Another lovely stone temple relief fragment, possibly from
near the Prambanan temple or the Sorogedug plateau in Central
Java, reveals either a god or a Boddhisattwa with a part of the
halo and headdress still intact. This is followed by a 8th
century copper plate representation of the Hariti with her son
Priyankara from Cebongan in Java.

Figurative

The graceful engraving is the only remaining example of a
figurative Buddhist dharani (mantra) from Central Java and gives
visitors an idea of the epoch's wall painting style. Another
delicate 70 centimeter-tall stone carving from the Kalasan temple
in Central Java, dates from the 9th century and depicts either a
goddess or queen relaxing on her throne. She holds a flower while
a woman servant wields a fly-swatter. The fine details of the
throne, the clothes and the jewelry of the figure, point to the
possibility that they once belonged to a monument of high
artistic quality.

Visitors may remember the statue of Prajnaparamita, goddess of
transcendental wisdom from the Singasari temple in East Java, was
displayed in "The Sculpture of Indonesia" show during the KIAS
tour four years ago. Sitting in the lotus position of padmasana
she exudes a wonderful intense withdrawal from mundane affairs
while holding her hands in the dharmacakra mudra position. The
finely worked and complicated decorations contrast with the
simplicity of her facial expression. Her presence normally graces
Museum Nasional in Jakarta, after having been brought in the last
century to the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde in Leiden, the
Netherlands.

Another section of the show is devoted to the island of Bali
and is opened by a magnificent gold dance crown from Klungkung.
The over 100-year-old gold, ruby and rattan crown reveals an
opulence which contemporary spectators will never see since
costumes and headdresses are increasingly overcome by kitsch and
flamboyance. The artful legong dance crown reflects the light of
flickering torches while the tiny dancers flit and sway to the
music. A pectoral of gold, rubies and diamonds from Klungkung
joins the crown and also derives from the court of Klungkung. A
pair of shoulder bracelets in gold and diamonds from Kutai,
Kalimantan graced the region's dancers.

This and other jewelry are joined by the Balinese rebab
(violin) fashioned out of wood, coconut, gold, silver, rubies,
sapphires, semi-precious stones, crystal, horse-hair, parchment
and velvet. It sits together with an elegant flute made from
tortoise shell, wood, gold, rubies, diamonds and semi-precious
stones.

A paidon (spittoon) made of gold from Riau Lingga accompanies
22-carat gold vases decorated with rubies to hold pinang (areca
nut) and gambier. A pair of Balinese betel scissors in iron and
gold remind visitors of the habit of chewing betel nut in
Indonesia in the last century.

Another pair of Madurese golden containers of tobacco and
sirih (betel) leaves is decorated with diagonal leaves and
escorts a gold, ruby and diamond tobacco pipe from Lombok with an
extravagant naga (dragon) mouthpiece. Further on in the dazzling
display, a gold lance and a shield of gold and iron from
Kalimantan sit together with a wonderful Lombok kris and sheath.
Resplendent in wood, gold-leaf, rubies, diamonds and ivory, they
remind spectators of the constant warfare between kingdoms.
However, the magnificent Nagasasra kris from Cirebon, West Java
recalls the fact that the kris indeed represents its owner and
possesses spiritual qualities.

This kris is joined by others from Surakarta in Java and
Klungkung in Bali, while an extremely rare 15th century gold kris
handle from South Sulawesi belonging to a private collector is
also on display.

The exhibition continues with rare wayang figures from
Surakarta and Gianyar, Bali. A wonderful pohon kepuh (witch tree)
from Gianyar leaps out at viewers together with a garuda
(mythical bird) shadow puppet from this century. These are
completed by a gunungan from Surakarta, part of the collection of
the Rijksmuseum. Several fine masks from Pekalongan in Central
Java and a special shadow puppet oil lamp of brass from Surabaya
round-out the section devoted to theater. Several 100-year-old
wayang golek puppets from West Java are exhibited near two
stunning Balinese throne-like carved chairs painted in gold from
the last century.

Several manuscripts sit with other stone artifacts and richly
carved wooden doors from the palace of Klungkung.

The show runs through Nov. 26.

Note:
Shiwa Mahadewa: the highest form of the Hindu god of destruction
and regeneration, Shiva.
Boddhisattwa Manjushri: the Buddha, who guides followers to
Nirvana.
Surya Stambha: the Sun God.
Hariti: a Buddhist goddess who liked to eat children. She
abstained with Buddha's guidance.
moko: traditional drum from Alor, East Nusa Tenggara.
padmasana: a lotus-shaped cushion.
dharmacakra mudra: hands positioned as if they are spinning the
wheel of law.
gunungan: the mountain like figure in puppet play symbolizing the
universe.