Antique, heavy hand-carved entrance door of a shaman / healer / magician (“Dukun”) from the Sunda Islands, crafted from dense ironwood.
This remarkable piece shows a strong visual and symbolic connection to the Asmat culture of Papua.
The central motif symbolizes infinity – the eternal cycle of life from water to land and back again.
The breasts (“susu”) represent fertility and life-giving power.
The crocodile or lizard stands for earthly power and strength.
The lower figure was intriguingly referred to by locals — who had no contact with the outside, no radio, no television — as a “robot.” How they came to use this term remains a mystery. Some proponents of ancient astronaut theories have their own interpretations.
- Origin: Sunda Islands
- Age: approx. 100 years
- Material: Ironwood
- Height: 160 cm
- Width: 50 cm
- Depth: 4–11 cm
- Weight: 22.5 kg
€8,000
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.
