Jewelry
Both Balinese men and women adore golden jewelry of all kinds, which they wear with great pride as symbols of status and wealth during the many ceremonies that fill the religious calendar. While gold jewelry—rings, armbands, bracelets, necklaces, earplugs, chains, foot bands, hairpins, belts, collars, combs, and crowns—is typically reserved for the highest aristocrats, virtually all Balinese dress in royal attire during weddings. On these occasions, the bride and groom appear as incarnations of Lord Wisnu and Dewi Ayu. This small selection of jewels demonstrates the diversity of this tradition, which traces its roots back over one thousand years to a time when great Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms ruled over Sumatra, Java, and Bali.