Very beautiful and rare, antique Fertility Fetish Statue from South Kalimantan (Indonesia / Borneo), carved from hardwood.
Over 100 years old.
This Dayak magic figure, carved from ironwood (Eusideroxylon zwageri), was once given by a Usun—a high priestess in Tandjong Karan—to Akam Igau, a trader and buyer for the art dealer and collector whose private collection this piece originates from.
The statue, a symbol of fertility, points with both hands toward the entrance and exit of new life and was believed to promise the women of the tribe an easy and safe birth.
A Usun was (and still is) the most important woman in the tribe. She herself was chosen as a young girl by the preceding Usun—an unchallengeable decision. From that moment on, the chosen one would live and serve as an apprentice to her until the elder Usun’s death, at which point she would become the new spiritual leader of the tribe.
A Usun came from a family—had parents, siblings, uncles, and aunts—but she was not permitted to start her own.
She was gifted generously by the community and grew wealthy, as her possessions were passed from Usun to Usun, forming a lineage of spiritual and material wealth.
€12,000
As we deal in vintage furniture, signs of use are inevitable and part of the nature of pre-owned items. Therefore, we only highlight more significant scratches or damages in separate photos. Nevertheless, we always strive to depict the condition of the items as accurately and honestly as possible.
The item is subject to differential taxation in accordance with § 25a of the German VAT Act (UStG). Therefore, VAT is not shown separately on the invoice.
