Situated East of Bali and extending to Timor, the Lesser Sunda Islands are bright jewels dancing in the Indian Ocean. Europeans visiting from the 16th century in search of spices brought gold and silver to trade, resulting in magnificent collections of heirloom jewelry. Rank and prestige are of paramount importance to the indigenous people. Mainly Animistic, Islam and Christianity have made small inroads. Megalithic monuments, tombs, altar tables, stone and wood carved ancestor figures, masks, doors, sophisticated refined gold and silver jewelry and items of personal adornment including tortoiseshell, wood and horn combs were part of this culture. Woven, embroidered beaded, cotton and silk textiles-sometimes with shells were worn. Intricately carved boxes, spoons and spatulas, lime stick handles, bronze drums and many other ritual and utilitarian objects from the neighboring islands of Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores, Savu, Lomblem, Ataoro, Alor, Komodo, Roti and Timor are also indigenous to these cultures.