Gold Jewellery off the Indonesian Archipelago

The first major work on Indonesian jewellery in more than 25 years, this title presents a thorough first look into previously unpublished works of gold jewellery from the archipelago’s outer islands. The impressive collection spans beyond recorded history, beginning from the fourth century and covering up to the 20th century, offering a diverse, compelling history of the art in Indonesia. Following a preface and introduction, its main ‘Gallery’ section is focused by region, with selections from islands such as Sumatra, Sulawesi, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Timor and Southeast Maluku.

Richter, a curator and former art and design lecturer, and Carpenter’s expertise in Indonesian art, culture and history help decode more than 700 pieces of jewellery and other ornaments that were made available by the Mandala Foundation in Singapore, many rare and unknown. The foundation also lent its expertise through curators Achim Sibeth and David Henkel, resulting in a work where the detailed photography of each piece is paired with authoritative descriptions.