Ancestor figure "adu zatua
Indonesia - Nias
sold
EUR 3,200
Provenance
Waldemar Stöhr & Elisabeth Stöhr-Johannsen, Cologne, Germany (coll. in situ)Klefisch, Cologne, 11. Oktober 2013, Lot 110
European Private Collection
Size
H: 23,3 cm
H: 9.2 inch
Description
wood, base
This figure wears a palm leaf crown and long earrings “sialu”, as they were typically worn by women.
These smaller “adu zatua” - figures were lashed to horizontal supporting bars, which were fixed to the wall in the main room of the house. Whenever a member of the family died, a new image was added, so that rows of figures were created. On the anniversary of the death of each of them, offerings were made to the deceased.