This centrepiece from a 19th Century Malay wedding showing fabulous birds and dragons. As the dragons face-off in the lake, the birds occupy the tree-tops. Walter Skeat, who collected this piece at the end of the 19th Century, notes three types of bird – the Roc (of Middle Eastern origin) which he equates with Garuda (Lord Vishnu’s vehicle), Jintayu (or Jadayu from the Ramayana) and the Walimana which he equates with the Harpy (of Greek mythology). This display evidences how the, now less familliar, Burung Roc was once an integral part of Malay folklore and material culture.
The Koboi Project 
You must be logged in to post a comment.