Binggel

[A. G. Maisey]

In the old days in Jawa and Madura women used to wear these around their ankles.

Last time I saw anybody wearing them was an elderly lady in a village in Madura more than 20 years ago, I believe that for general use they disappeared long before WWII.

I have been told by several people in Madura that the reason women wore them was to cause them to walk in a correct manner. These anklets force a slow gait where the legs are slightly apart and the walk is from the hips. This was considered to be a very sexy walk by my informants and they decried the fact that modern girls "walk like a horse running".

Three of the pairs shown are of mamas from East Jawa and Madura. The single bronze pair are grave goods from Central Jawa and show traces of gilding.