Deity head from the Majapahit in terracotta, 13th-15th century

• Nice crowned head with floral decoration and big earrings. Clearly the mouth is damaged.

• The Majapahit Empire was a powerful Javanese kingdom that flourished from 1293 to the early 16th century. 

  • It was founded in 1293 by Raden Wijaya after the fall of the Singhasari kingdom and defeted the Mongol invasion.
  • Its Golden Age came under King Hayam Wuruk (1350–1389) and his powerful minister Gajah Mada.
  • Majapahit became a major maritime and trading power, with influence across much of the Indonesian archipelago.
  • Hinduism, Buddhism and traditional Javanese beliefs existed together, producing a rich artistic and cultural tradition.
  • The famous phrase “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” (Unity in Diversity) comes from this period.
  • From the late 14th century onward, succession conflicts and the rise of Islamic coastal kingdoms gradually weakened Majapahit.
  • By the early 1500s it had largely disappeared, while much of its Hindu-Javanese culture survived in Bali.

   

  • Terracotta figures were very common in the Majapahit period, especially around Trowulan, the presumed royal capital.
  • They include human figures, heads, animals, and sometimes architectural or household objects.
  • Many heads are broken because terracotta is fragile, but some may also have been deliberately separated from bodies or damaged after burial/deposition.
  • Their uses are debated. Some probably had religious or ritual significance, while others may have been toys, household objects, decorative pieces, or representations of ordinary people.
  • The faces and hairstyles can be especially valuable for archaeologists because they provide glimpses of Majapahit clothing, appearance, social roles, and artistic styles.
  • They are usually less monumental than stone Hindu-Buddhist sculpture. The small scale and everyday character of many terracottas make them particularly useful for understanding ordinary life in Majapahit society.

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