Hampatong statue, Dayak population Borneo - Indonesia Belian... Lot 55

Hampatong statue, Dayak population Borneo - Indonesia Belian wood (Eusideroxylon) or ironwood Height: 98cm Provenance: - Former Joessel collection, Bali Carved from very hard wood, the Hampatong are anthropomorphic statues from Borneo. Sacred guardians, charged with driving away evil spirits, they watch over the peace and harmony of the community, planted in the ground, as the different patinas here reveal they were also used to protect rice fields, ensuring the fertility of the nourishing earth. Significant signs of weathering, attesting to its age, giving this statue a timeless, sacred poetic quality.