Object Name: Ling-ling-o

Provenance: Ifugao
Gold-plated brass
H 2.5 cm
MK Collection

The Ifugao, together with the Bontok, Ibaloy, Kankanaey, and Kalinga, wear ornaments called lingling-o. The basic form of this ornament is “an almost closed C” called hubong/uvong in Ifugao. Made of gold, silver, or copper, each piece of lingling-o is a status symbol. The lingling-o is worn differently by each group. The Ifugao is said to wear them only as necklace pendants while the Bontok, Kankanaey, Ibaloy, and Kalinga wear them both as pendants and earrings.