Headdress Ornament/Earring (Padung padung)

Indonesian tribal jewelry usually incorporates male or female sexual symbols for fertility but none approach the padung padung in terms of size of the phallic symbol. These head ornaments are also worn by women as  earrings in ceremonies. This particular piece, smaller than usual, most likely belongs to a girl who has just reached puberty. The coils of the padung padung is influenced by the spiral motifs found in Dongson bronze art.