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Home > Collections > Treasure Room

Prajnaparamita

Paramitha Bowl

The Treasure Rooms are divided into two sections - the Archaeology Room and the Ethnography Room. There are about 2,00 items in the Museum's gold and silver collections, the majority of which were found accidentally rather than on organized digs.

Indonesia has been rich in gold and other precious metals for centuries. Artefacts were made using such processes as casting, soldering, riveting an sewing with gold wire, and were decorated by chiselling, the repousse technique (whereby the design is hammered from the inside of an object), and by adding detailed ornamentation.

Due to the biodegradability of the most materials used by the ancient Indonesian kingdoms, relatively little remains for scholars to base their study of these civilizations upon. As a result, since gold does not deteriorate, these objects are treasured not just for their value and decoration but also for their great historical importance. As well as a high level of culture, the gold items reveal a great deal about the life and rituals of the early kingdoms.

In 1990, farmers found a cache of treasure from java's classical Era ( 5th-15th century ) in Wonoboyo, Klaten, Central Java. These exquisite gold and silver items, collectively weighing more than 35 kg, are believed to have been buried in Lava in the early10th century, perhaps due to a major eruption of Mount Merapi. They comprise the largest find in Indonesia this century and are currently displayed in the showcase in the center of the Archaeology treasure room.

The collection in the Ethnography treasure room comprises objects from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. The artefacts are mostly crafted from 14-24 carat gold and many are adorned with precious stones.

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