Puri Cakranegara Lombok, 1894
Gayot, meaning “palanquin” in Balinese, was a means of transportation used by the nobility in Lombok in the 19th century. This Gayot is one of the important artifacts from Puri Cakranegara, Lombok. Made of teak wood, rattan, and metal, this Gayot is decorated with prominent floral and vine ornaments with dominant colors of red and gold. Some of the decorative elements in the center of the supporting crossbar are painted in green and yellow.
Colonial Loot
In 1894, this Gayot was seized by the Dutch colonial government during a military expedition that attacked Puri Cakranegara, as a punitive action following a conflict with the local rulers. After the looting, this object became the only palanquin brought to Batavia and was recorded in the inventory of the Bataviaasch Genootschap in 1895 with the number 7916. The inscription on the object indicates that this palanquin was once owned by a member of the Lombok royal family, I Gusti Ra-ō-madhe of Puri Mtahun, a palace influenced by the Karangasem Kingdom in Bali.
The Gayot Lombok is now on display in a new gallery at the National Museum of Indonesia, which reopened in October 2024 following a fire in 2023. The new gallery focuses on the history of colonial acquisitions, repatriation, and the decolonization of the museum.
Inventory Number: 7916
Materials: Wood, rattan, metal, paint
Dimensions: Seat length 61.5 cm, Width 57.5 cm, Height 48.5 cm, Length of support bar 318 cm.
Rully Handiani, Kurator Koleksi Museum, discusses the significance of the Gayot Lombok.
Curators
Jaka Perbawa
Puri Nindia Heryviani | Batik Museum
Swa Setyawan Adinegoro | Batik Museum
Herni Purnaningsih
Anisah