A woven gold chain with gold 'Marangga' ornaments Sumba, Indonesia, 19th - 20th century | 印尼群島 松巴島 十九至二十世紀 馬蘭加金項鍊

Sumbanese leaders and aristocrats would commission such objects to be used as ancestral heirlooms, to ascend the social ladder by displaying these heavenly treasures at celebrations. They were also necessary for the formation of alliances, with the famous Sumbanese ornament Mamuli being used in marriages as a form of ritual reimbursement. The present necklace is of typical marangga form, used as a chest ornament or attached to the ends of gold chains. Worn only at ceremonies, the double-axe-shaped ornament was passed on within the family and signified the continuity of lineage.

Compare a similar Marangga ornament illustrated in Anne Richter, The Jewelry of Southeast Asia, London, 2010, pl. 230.

松巴島領袖及貴族貴會特定訂造金飾作爲傳家之寶，或於重要儀式上佩戴金器以展示其地位與財富。他們也成爲結盟和婚姻所需的重要信物，例如於印尼久享盛名的“Mamuli” 耳飾。本項鍊為經典 marangga 形，通常用作胸飾佩戴或附於金鏈尾端。此儀式專用的雙斧形金飾由家族繼承，象徵了血統的連續性。

類例可參考一馬蘭加飾物，收錄於 Anne Richter，《The Jewelry of Southeast Asia》，倫敦，2010年，圖版230。