Wayang shadow puppets

Wayang shadow puppets like these can be traced back to the first millennium when Hinduism arrived on the Indonesian island of Java. For centuries these puppets have danced across screens and told stories, teaching philosophical, moral and aesthetic values through indigenous myths, ancient Indian epics and local legends.

Intricately perforated and elaborately painted, these puppets are made from leather, bamboo and ox horn, and they cast dazzling shadows when silhouetted against walls or translucent cloths. The dalang, or puppeteer, uses rods to bring the characters to life in performances that are often accompanied by chanting, singing and gamelan.