Anthropomorphic half figure "pagar" ·  Indonesia - Sumatra, Batak · ID: 3032995

Description

wood, blackish brown patina, encrusted in some areas, the eyes inset with abrus beans, plugged hole in the torso and the head, filled with magical mass “pupuk”, slightly dam., crack, on base;
“pagar” primarily protect houses, fields, and people against “begu” = malevolent spirits. One form of “pagar” is a dark wooden figure with separately carved arms and large outstretched hands. Another conventionalized posture depicts hands pressed against the stomach. The figure is filled with “pupuk” and is activated by special incantations spoken by the shaman.

The object Anthropomorphic half figure “pagar” with the object ID 3032995 was last part of the auction 69th tribal art auction at June 2, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 5.

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Comparing literature

Feldman, Jerome, The eloquent dead, Los Angeles 1985, p. 87 f.