Taiganja Ornament

Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
19th-early 20th c.

Provenance: Rodger Dashow collection, Boston

This finely cast brass ornament, known as a Taiganja, originates from the highland peoples of Central Sulawesi’s Sigi region. Traditionally worn as a pendant or attached to ceremonial garments, it served as a status symbol and protective amulet, often used in ritual exchange or passed down as a family heirloom.

The bold, symmetrical form features flaring horn-like projections and curling side motifs—believed to reference buffalo horns and crab claws, symbols of strength and protection. The central looped aperture, surrounded by braided ridges and raised beads, evokes fertility and ancestral power—key themes in Austronesian cosmology. Cast using the lost-wax technique, this example exhibits remarkable sculptural finesse and symbolic resonance.