This ornament features a red stone on its band and its vertical motif in solid gold is decorated with swirling patterns. Due to the miniscule size of this ornament, it has been suggested that it could have been worn on the legs of pet birds, hence it is also known as a ‘bird ring’. However, it is more likely that it was worn on the ear and such tall gem-set earrings could possibly represent the thunderbolt of Indra, the king of gods in Hindu mythology.Both men and women wore ear ornaments, and they had their earlobes pierced. Javanese statues belonging to this time period depict many styles of ear ornaments. Besides personal adornment, gold was also used to make religious items.
