Moon of Pejeng

Motif on the kettle drum shows eight fish forming the outline of a star

The Moon of Pejeng is the largest single cast kettle drum in the world. The height is 12 feet and the lost wax casting technique was used in the making making of it. It is 1000-2000 years old and not determined if it was made locally or imported from other areas of Asia.

Above detail from the Moon of Pejeng. It is suggested the kettle drum in Bali was used in worship to ensure good results on the Island for the rice and other crops.

Smaller kettle drums have been found in many parts of Indonesia and this women from Alor Island, Debora who is 88 recals when she was a girl there was a man in her village who used a mock drum at cerimonmys to attract rain. Whithin two hours after the ceremony it would poor rain.

In 1938 Dutch Chritians came to the Island and got rid of the rain makers.

Maori people originated with settlers from E. Polynesiawho arrived in New Zealand in canoes about 1320-1350. Maori people have a genetic link to Taiwan, (as compared to a cousin) and evidence shows trades from Taiwan began way before the 17th C. and the ancestors of the Taiwan people may have been living in Taiwan 6,500 years ago. This Maori kite replica shows similarities in the head to the detail on the Moon of Pejeng. This is an interesting observation as it gives evidence that the Moon of Pejeng may have been designed in part from the Taiwan culture, considering that the kettle drum is between 1000-2000 years old.