Pair of lintels

Elaborate carved lintels such as these were placed over doorways in Balinese temples or aristocratic homes. These are said to have come from the palace of the old kingdom of Karangasem in the east of Bali. They are decorated with the head of the deity Bhoma, a fierce guardian figure, flanked by rampant lions and surmounted with a European style crown, clear references to Western heraldic traditions.