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Ceremonial helmet

Ceremonial helmet

  • Place of origin:

    Burma (made)

  • Date:

    ca. 15th century (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Gold, decorated with gems, raised and further embellished with repoussé and incising work

  • Museum number:

    02758(IS)

  • Gallery location:

    South-East Asia, room 47a, case 16

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This head-dress set with jewels formed part of a gold hoard dating to the 15th/16th century Mon Kingdom of Pegu (see Model Pagoda 02755(IS)). It was excavated in 1855 from a stupa relic chamber at the base of the Shwe Dagon, Rangoon. It is believed to be the ceremonial helmet worn by the famed Mon Queen Shin-saw-bu (r.1453-1460) as she progressed through her royal city of Pegu. Shaped like a turban the dome is moulded to possibly fit a coiled length of hair which was held in place by the long pin passed through the holes at the base. The unusual appendage with the lozenge shaped depression may have held a jewel and was worn to the front over the queen's nose.

Physical description

Headdress shaped as a turban finishing in a flattened fold to the side. The dome, which rests on a flaring coronet set with 62 gems is moulded to possibly fit a coiled length of hair which was held in place by the long pin passed through the holes at the base. The unusual appendage with a lozenge shape depression may have held a jewel and was worn to the front over the nose.

Place of Origin

Burma (made)

Date

ca. 15th century (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Gold, decorated with gems, raised and further embellished with repoussé and incising work

Dimensions

Height: 19.7 cm, Diameter: 21.5 cm maximum

Object history note

Excavated by labourers when building barracks on the site of an old pagoda east of the Shwe Dagon, Rangoon in 1855

Descriptive line

Burmese gold headdress shaped like a turban and set with jewels, Mon Kingdom of Pegu, ca. 15th century.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Lowry, John. Burmese Art, Victoria and Albert Museum; London Her Majesty's Stationery Office; 1974. pl. 28; ill. Sykes, Col. W.H.; F.R.S.;M.P.;Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society; Account of some Golden Relics discovered at Rangoon; Vol 17; 1860; pp 298-308; ill Singer, Noel F.; Arts of Asia; Sept./Oct. 1992 The Gold Relics of Bana Thau Arts of Asia, Sept/Oct 1992, p. 81 Exhibition National Museum Canberra, Australia, 11 March - 24 June 2001, Exhibtion Catalogue, Gold and Civilisation, John Guy, "Gold in Asia", pp169 - 191, ill. p. 182
Saya Thein, Shin Sawbu Journal Burmese Research Society,1911, Vol.I.,Part 2.
Historical account of the Mon Queen Shin Sawbu

Materials

Gold; Gem

Techniques

Raising; Repoussé; Incising

Production Type

Unique

Collection code

SSEA

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Qr_O10654
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