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Hi All,
I have a lovely metal gong/drum which was purchased in Bali in the early 1980s. It is 48cm high x 42cm in diameter and seems to be copied on the Dongson style. It has frogs, human faces and other animals cast into the design. I have seen a photo of another somewhat similar but different animals. Any information from the members would be very much appreciated.
All the best, Col

Copy of a Karen hill tribe frog drum, Karen people live in Burma (modern day Myanmar).

Hi Mike,
Thank you for your information.
I do know of the similarities between the two drum/gongs but the Balinese one has many, many differences and is of much heavier construction. The animals depicted are Indonesian types - including a rhinoceros, etc. I feel that it is of local origin and copied from the Burmese and Dongson styles. I am hoping for more specific information on origin, etc.
Below is a photo of my "Rain" drum.
All the best,
Col

Hi,

Yes, neither of them look like Dongson drums and I have some strong feelings that none of them are old.
Could you remove a little of the green stuff and tell my what you see underneath?
Brown color bonze, other metal color, dark red color substance or green stuff?
Thanks.

Hi,

Thank you for the information.

I never meant to imply that the drum was Dong Son - only that its origin was possibly the ancient Dong Song drums that have been found in Indonesia.

The rain drum is at least 150 years old and comes from the Thai/Burma area.

The one for which I have asked the question, is made of a brassy metal which seems to be similar to the Alorese Moko drums. Some Moko drums are around 150 years old for those made in Java and much older for the earlier ones. Since the Moko drums were made in Java in the 19th century I am wondering if the larger and heavier one, that I am querying, was also made in Indonesia - and, if so, when?

I've enclosed photos of two moko drums which are also made of a "brassy" metal.

All the best,
Col

These are copies of nekaras once found in the Nusa Tenggara (Southeastern islands), east of Bali.

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