Stopper to Shaman’s Medicine Container
Batak Tribe, Sumatra, Indonesia 19th c.

This very fine wooden stopper from a buli-buli container which are made from the horn of the mountain antelope; is a classic conception, but dynamic in execution. Consisting of two ancestor figures atop one another they are riding a singha. The top figure is surmounted with a stylized horse. There is subtle movement throughout the sculpture. When viewing it from its back one can see the figures swaying to the left and to the right, and then back to the left. This creates a sense of movement to the entire sculpture, and closely reflects the natural sweep of the horn it was inserted too. It’s a very finely carved piece with great care taken on its details. It also shows great age, and has a brilliant dark patina.

The height of the stopper is 5.5 in
IN 4-3-12/ SOLD