P U RI A G U N G : P R E S E R V I N G K ARA N G A S E M ’ S RO Y AL P ALA C E I N B ALI – TAASA Review March 2014

Niki van den Heuvel F rom 2011 to 2012 I spent a year living in Bali and Lombok working as a curator at the Puri Karangasem Historical Society, an initiative started by members of the Karangasem’s royal family to conserve their cultural heritage through print publications, digital documentation and preservation.

My placement was supported by Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) and provided me with a unique insight into one of Bali’s living royal collections. The towering gateways of Puri Agung adorned with carved guardian figures and molded stucco reliefs.

PHOTO: Niki van den Heuvel Prior to the advent of Dutch colonial rule in the Indonesian archipelago, the island of Bali was divided into numerous kingdoms subject, yet not always loyal, to a supreme king, the Dewa Agung of Bali...