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How curious! Timor also was the first to come to my mind, but I am afraid, I cannot help any further.
Very original!. I like it.
@Peter
I got it confirmed by a Bali based dealer that this bracelet is indeed Timorese.
How wonderful that you were able to know indonesia extensively back then it is one of my preffered country to travel....
It is however a striking contrast with where you are right know....i have been told that heat in around the persian gulf is breaking records, hope you have the Ac on !!
A most impressive piece, Alaa. (I have only seen it just now, while hunting for good images!) We have a number of bracelets from Timor, and have seen quite a few different ones, but not this one, ever (at least to the best of my memory, which is far less good than Truus's). It is most impressive, and I am envious, as the head so much makes it part of Indonesian "tribal" art as well! Well done!
Alaa, subsequent to my post below I checked Truus's *Ethnic Jewellery and Adornment*, p. 197, whre she shows two armbands which look to be the same sort of size as yours, and certainly similar in structure. In posting your piece on Facebook (the Ethnic Jewellery and Adornment page), I added the following on the basis of what Truus mentioned: "This strongly reminds me of similar size pieces on p. 197 of Truus's *Ethnic Jewellery and Adornment*. Those, while often thought of as armbands, were often held by the fingers in dancing. I do not know, however, whether that also happened in this case." Truus's examples are pieces that contained a pebble or seed, so that they would rattle when danced. That is a possibly important difference with your piece. Anyway, I thought it worth mentioning about this KIND of piece in any case, notably as when held rather than worn, the bangle could of course be much smaller than if worn round the wrist.
Thanx joost.
Well the very moment i saw it, i felt like having a big red flashing signboard with "timor" written on it, but going through my books and internet culd not help provide a similar example so i sought the help of forum members here and my facebook friend: Peter and others got it right, one facebook friend added it came from the "Belu" tribe from Timor.
I can't help but stress on the fact that it is quite small compared to the usual Timorese bracelets, the head is not hollow and massive (the bult of the overall weight actually), but it is very tempting to see it held in betseen fingers than being actually worn in a way of exhibiting the head in a ritual manner, the omega shaped bangle acting as a handle!
Can't help much.
Thanx again to Everyone
Alaa. I like this thought: "I can't help but stress on the fact that it is quite small compared to the usual Timorese bracelets, the head is not hollow and massive (the bult of the overall weight actually), but it is very tempting to see it held in betseen fingers than being actually worn in a way of exhibiting the head in a ritual manner, the omega shaped bangle acting as a handle!" That would make very good sense. It would provide a real purpose and function for the piece, and be far more "practical", I would think, than trying to wear it as a bracelet. Yours sounds like a good suggestion - particularly the point that the head would thus stick out quite clearly. Yes, I did think it was solid, and it clearly was not used as a "rattle".