From the magnificent royal gold jewelry of Thailand and Burma to the simple adornments worn by remote hill peoples, Anne Richter plots a sure path through a complex cultural landscape to produce this all-embracing account of the dazzling jewelry of Southeast Asia. Encompassing the territory covered by the modern boundaries of Burma, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines, she examines the ways in which jewelry forms are related to belief systems, social and political structures, trading contacts and diverse techniques, supporting her text with historic photographs, drawings and other illustrations.

The jewelry itself - a profusion of necklaces, buckles, pendants, belts, buttons, ear ornaments, hairpins, anklets, torques and bracelets - is presented in a superb array of images, many of them photographed specially for this volume. Richter’s analyses of the symbolism shed light on Asian cultures, while the aesthetic appeal of the items will make this volume irresistible to all jewelry lovers.