- Provenance
- Provenance research underway.
- Label
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Known as nagas, serpents are powerful symbols in South and Southeast Asia. They guard the watery underworld, where they reside in jeweled palaces and protect corals and pearls. In Southeast Asia, nagas also represent the bridge that connects the human and divine worlds.
Nagas are therefore among the most prevalent signs in Indonesian art, ranging from relief carvings and architectural elements to ritual objects. In this ritual water vessel, the naga's tail forms the handle, and its mouth serves as the spout. Flowing through the naga's mouth imbued the water with sanctity. Nagas are said to carry jewels on their heads, seen here as a conical bump.
- Published References
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- Nandana Chutiwongs. Bronze Ritual Implements in the Majapahit Period: Meaning and Function. No. 6, vol. 30, no. 6 Hong Kong. pp. 69-84, p. 74, fig. 10.
- Collection Area(s)
- Southeast Asian Art
- Web Resources
- F|S Southeast Asia
- SI Usage Statement
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Usage Conditions Apply
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CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)
This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.
Usage Conditions Apply
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.
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International Image Interoperability Framework
FS-LTS2017.1.2_001