The Moon of Pejeng: A Sacred Relic from Bali’s Bronze Age

According to Balinese legend, the Moon drum found in Pejeng was once a wheel of the chariot that carried the moon across the night sky. Bright as the moon itself, it fell from the heavens and landed in a tree at Pejeng. This remarkable drum, the world’s largest single-cast bronze kettle drum, dates back to the Dong Son bronze period. It serves as a relic of early rice cultivation rituals and remains highly sacred to local people.

Standing at an impressive 186.6 centimeters (73.5 inches) tall, with a tympano diameter of 160 centimeters (63 inches), the Moon of Pejeng is housed at Pura Penataran Sasih Temple in Pejeng, near Ubud. The temple is situated in the Petauan River valley, where complex irrigated rice culture first evolved on the island of Bali. The adjacent Pakerisan River valley also played a significant role in this cultural development.

The Dong Son people crafted this monumental drum more than two thousand years ago, around 300 B.C. Its significance extends beyond its size; it symbolizes the fusion of two cultures—the Balinese and the bronze craftsmanship introduced by seafarers and traders from Dong Son, Vietnam. The Pejeng Moon continues to inspire art and metal casting techniques across Indonesia.