Craft, art and architecture

The joglo

The joglo is a Javanese house form built around four central pillars carrying a tall, tiered roof; historically it belonged to the aristocracy and its height signalled the owner's standing. We Are Open Co-op

Many old Javanese joglo have been dismantled, shipped to Bali and re-erected, and in Bali the form was adapted to local climate and carving. We Are Open Co-op

Tumpang sari

Above a joglo's four pillars the ceiling is built in stacked layers, tumpang sari, like an upside-down pyramid. We Are Open Co-op

Geringsing cloth

Tenganan Pegeringsingan, a village in Karangasem in east Bali, weaves geringsing: double ikat cloth, woven in only three places in the world. Wikipedia

The kris

A Balinese kris in the Rijksmuseum has a silver handle that probably shows the god Bayu, holding a vase of amrita, the water of life that brings prosperity (museum record). Europeana

The kris is the asymmetrical dagger of Java and Bali; its pattern-welded blade shows a grain called pamor. In Bali the kris is associated with the naga, and handles are made in the form of gods and demons. UNESCO lists the Indonesian kris as intangible heritage of humanity. Wikipedia

A sketchbook from 1931

A sketchbook of 74 pages drawn in Bali in 1931, with gamelan players, a dancer and people carrying offerings on their heads, is in the Rijksmuseum (public domain). Europeana

Planning a stay around it

• What is a Joglo? A Javanese house in Bali A Joglo is a traditional Javanese teak house with a tall stepped roof on four posts: its history, its parts, how it differs from a bale, and why Bali has them.
• Choosing a Joglo villa in Bali: what to look for How to choose a real Joglo villa in Bali: the four posts, the stepped roof, old teak and joinery, where the house came from, and what to ask before booking.
• A week in Seminyak: an itinerary with room in it Things to do in Seminyak as a seven-day itinerary, one thing a day: arrival, the beach, a day in the garden, one long drive, a slow last morning.