19th Century Indonesian Nias Ancestor Figure (Adu Zatua) – Tribal Art

A fine Baule female figure Standing leaning forward with serene expression with hands on abdomen Period: early 20th century Condition: Old Insect holes and minor damage Measures: H ...

Large Yoruba Ritual Shrine figure Abeokuta Nigeria African Tribal Art A rare exceptionally large male Cup bearer ritual shrine figure standing upright holding a cup in front carv...

Pre columbian Lamabayeque wood figure Peru Circa 750 to 1375 AD A rare standing figure of a deity with triangular tear drop shaped eyes holding a child, Carved in very dense heavy hard wood Measures: Height 14 inches, 36 cm weight, 1.5 kg approx Ex collection of a Oxford Academic, reputed to have came from Pit rivers...

Oceanic Schouten islands Pounder Papua New Guinea A Fine old hard wood Pounder or pestle with a standing female figure from the schouten islands off the north coast of Papua new Gui...

Old Buyu male ancestral protection power figure showing good signs of genuine age w/ beautiful old color patina. Democratic Republic Congo, Africa. Mid 20th. Measures 32" h x 10" w x...

Indonesia, Nias, 19th century H. 37.5 x W. 10 cm Sculptures like the one present are not only decorative items but are believed to be vessels that house the spirits of ancestors and are used to communicate with them. After the death of a person a wooden image or Adu Zatua was made to mediate between the human world and the spiritual realm. These kinds of figures were commissioned by noble Nias families, whereas simple and lesser quality carvings generally were found among lower class families. In this particularly fine example, the sculptor has paid careful attention to the proportions of the different parts of the body, dividing it into three main sections – the head, the torso, and the legs. The shapes are sometimes flat, round, or have notches, but all are perfectly in balance creating a certain divine tranquillity. This Adua Zatua’s ears are decorated with earrings, and it is wearing a headdress, pointing towards a chiefly provenance. In 1914 the Dutch gained complete control of the island of Nias and started spreading Protestant Christianity. Many ancestor statues...

Hand carved wooden Bambara Mali figure.

Papua New Guinea standing male ancestral figure. Hand carved from a single piece of wood. Beautiful old pigmented surface w/ finely decorated facial features and shell eyes. Good sig...