Guardian statue "pagar" ·  Indonesia - Sumatra, Batak · ID: 3040574

Description

wood, rich blackish brown patina, standing figure with block-like legs, typcial oversized head, eyes with metal inlay, separate carved forearm (fixed with wooden pegs), oversized hands with inwardly bent fingers (originally holding two poles), small opening in the chest, closed with resin, drilled ear holes, slightly dam., cracks, abrasion of paint, bipartite base;
“pagar” means “fence” and designates “a natural (stone, tree trunk) or manufactured object (wooden figure), which has the power to keep away evil spirits or to protect against witchcraft. Figures usually have a plugged hole in the torso or head which contains “pupuk”, a power substance. Dressed in cloth, grass, and leaves the figure is activated by special incantations spoken by the shaman “datu”. “Pagar” primarily protect houses, fields and people against malevolent spirits called “begu”. “Pagar” statues were set up in the house in a basket which was placed on top of a tall pole.

The object Guardian statue “pagar” with the object ID 3040574 was last part of the auction 83rd Tribal Art Auction at May 28, 2016 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 38.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about Asian art.

Comparing literature

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

Publications

Adrian Schlag, Tribal Art Classics, Batak, Brussels 2007, p. 20 f.