SULTAN BANTEN CROWN

This beautiful work of art is from Banten, West Java. Banten's location at the Strait of Sunda, allowed it to become a strategic gateway for all people wanting to enter Java or Sumatra. From the 16th to 19th centuries, the Sultanate of Banten played an important role in the development and proliferation of Islam in the archipelago. It is thus not surprising to find strong Islamic influences in the design of pieces created around that time. This crown, with the head cover of its inner part made of silver and fine gold threads, is an excellent example of such art work. In 1832, after many attempts, the Dutch finally captured and destroyed the royal palace of Banten. The Sultan's subsequent exile marked the fall of the Banten Sultanate, but a number of Banten regalia, including the Sultan's crown, were saved and are now part of the National Museum collection.