Gong
Date1825-1875 ca.
Place MadeBrunei, Borneo, Asia
Serial No.none
SignednoneMarkingsnone
DescriptionSmall, hanging gong cast from brass with a single, central boss. It has a fairly shallow, turned-down rim that curves slightly inward. The top and the sides are decorated with very stylized swirl patterns and flower motifs, also cast. The sides also contain animal motifs. The only undecorated sections are the boss, the border running around the circumference of the gong where the rim turns down, and the underside.
There are four small holes spaced evenly around the sides. A green cord (probably not original to the instrument) is strung through two holes and tied, allowing the gong to be suspended.
This gong was likely cast by a Chinese craftsman or, at the very least, after the Chinese tradition, in Brunei, then traded to a group of Iban people in Sarawak, Malaysia. The Iban have a gong ensemble tradition comprising different types of gongs, gong chimes, and drums, depending upon the ensemble’s function.
DimensionsLength (diameter): 19 cm
Circumference: 59.5 cm
Depth: 5 cm
Thickness of wall: approx. 1 cm
ProvenancePurchased from H. M. Lissauer, Melbourne, Australia, 1977.
Credit LineBoard of Trustees, 1977
Object number02327
On View
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