page_title: Bale kulkul
section_title: History and evolution
hierarchical_section_title: Bale kulkul / History and evolution
caption_attribution_description: English: A large and ancient bronze drum, now called the "Moon Of Pejeng" after a piece of local folklore, is housed in this pavilion. It is only partly visible, and difficult to view adequately, since the visitor is only allowed to see it from the lawn below
context_page_description: The bale kulkul or bale kul-kul is a Balinese pavilion where a slit-log drum is placed. It is essentially a drum tower or a watch tower. A bale kulkul can has a civic function, such as those used in villages as a mean of communication; or for religious function, an integral part of Balinese temple architecture.
context_section_description: Bale kulkul is an ancient architectural feature of Indonesia, predating the arrival of Hinduism in Indonesia. A bale kulkul at the Pura Penataran Sasih at Pejeng village contains an approximately 2,000 years-old bronze drum, the Moon of Pejeng. The Moon of Pejeng is the world's largest and most complete type of drum known as the Pejeng type drums which have been found in Bali and Java. This suggests that these towers were kept alive throughout the Hindu-Buddhist period and persisting in the Islamic era of Indonesian civilization.
  With the arrival of Islam in Indonesia in Java, a bale kulkul-like structure in 15th-century Java was still used as a sign to congregate villagers, but this time as a call for prayer. The Menara Kudus Mosque in the city of Kudus, Central Java contains a bale kulkul-like structure that is used as a mean to call for prayer. Unlike the Middle Eastern minaret, the "minaret" of the Menara Kudus Mosque is topped with a drum called bedug. The minaret of the Menara Kudus Mosque is currently the only structure of this type, but it may be more widespread in the past.
  In modern time, the structural form of bale kulkul is used for different function, such as security post. Generator room, lift shaft, garage, water tower, and storage may imitate the traditional bale kulkul.
caption: The bale kulkul of Pura Penataran Sasih in Pejeng village, Bali, contains the world's largest bronze drum cast in a single piece.
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