Bell

Unknown Artist

10th–11th century

Bell by Unknown Artist

Medium

Bronze

Dimensions

H. 6 5/16 in. (16 cm)

Classification

Metalwork

Culture & Period

Indonesia (Java) · Eastern Javanese period

Department

Asian Art

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Samuel Eilenberg Collection, Gift of Samuel Eilenberg, 1987

Accession Number

1987.142.241

Art Historical Context

This exquisite bronze bell, crafted in Java, Indonesia, during the Eastern Javan period (10th–th century), offers a into the island's rich artistic heritage. Dating to a time when Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, producing monumental temples like Borobudur and Prambanan, this small handbell (just 6 5/16 inches high) reflects the era's mastery of metalwork. Likely used in rituals or ceremonies, it embodies the spiritual and cultural life of ancient Javanese society, where such objects played key roles in religious practices. Bronze, a prized medium in Southeast Asian art, was cast using advanced lost-...

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