Lesung

The lesung is a traditional wooden mortar that was once widely used in Penglipuran Village to pound rice, grains, and other agricultural products. Typically carved from a single large log, it is used together with an alu, or wooden pestle, to process harvested crops by hand. The lesung reflects the village’s long-standing agricultural heritage and the community’s self-sufficient way of life. Beyond its practical function as a household tool, it also symbolizes the spirit of gotong royong (mutual cooperation), as rice pounding was traditionally carried out collectively by family members or neighbors. Today, the lesung serves as an important cultural artifact that introduces visitors to the local wisdom, traditional farming practices, and ancestral heritage that continue to shape the identity of Penglipuran Village.