Borneo Dayak Wood Ancestor Guardian Figure

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Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa F...

By Artemis Fine Arts

Aug 22, 2025

Set Reminder 2025-08-22 10:00:00 2025-08-22 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa Fe, NM https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/indigenous-art---ralph-t-coe-center-santa-fe-nm-20324
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com

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• Lot Description
  Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Borneo, Iban Dayak, ca. mid-20th century CE. Crafted from hardwood, this figure represents an honored Dyak ancestor, a hampatong, traditionally used for protection. It served as a guardian for villages, people, graves, longhouses, and the routes leading to rivers and rice fields. In common with many Dyak standing figures, the carving is in relatively low relief, featuring arms that were likely positioned at the heart or chest, and possibly covering the genitals. While the facial and bodily features show some deterioration and are now shallow, they remain recognizable. The effigy is presented on a black Lucite base and was acquired in Bali during the mid-1970s. Size: 9.5" L x 10.2" W x 40.3" H (24.1 cm x 25.9 cm x 102.4 cm); 42.3" H (107.4 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  Across the island of Borneo, a rich tapestry of approximately 200 indigenous subgroups, collectively known as Dyaks or Dayaks, give form to their beliefs through intricate hardwood carvings. These images, encompassing human figures, animals, and mythological beings, serve diverse and vital roles within their culture. Known as hampatong - meaning effigy, figure, or statue - they broadly fall into two categories. Standing human figures typically represent revered ancestral spirits or deities, offering guidance and protection. The second type portrays mythical guardian creatures or animal spirits, powerful entities believed to safeguard all Dyaks and their villages by warding off malevolent spirits, including those that bring illness.
  
  Across the island of Borneo, a rich tapestry of approximately 200 indigenous subgroups, collectively known as Dyaks or Dayaks, give form to their beliefs through intricate hardwood carvings. These images, encompassing human figures, animals, and mythological beings, serve diverse and vital roles within their culture. Known as hampatong - meaning effigy, figure, or statue - they broadly fall into two categories. Standing human figures typically represent revered ancestral spirits or deities, offering guidance and protection. The second type portrays mythical guardian creatures or animal spirits, powerful entities believed to safeguard all Dyaks and their villages by warding off malevolent spirits, including those that bring illness. These hampatong are strategically placed along paths leading to fields, rivers, and other important trails, honoring deceased ancestors who continue to protect and advise the living. They also serve as memorial images at burial sites and stand as protective guardians near the longhouses built along the rivers. Those positioned in the fields are believed to foster the growth of rice, ensure bountiful harvests, and promote fertility throughout the village. While ancestor carvings often exhibit more naturalistic facial and bodily features, other types of hampatong may display exaggerated, fearsome, or distorted features, expressions, or bodies, specifically designed to repel harmful spirits. This particular type of hampatong is carved with the intention of driving away malevolent forces and is placed where the village's protection is deemed most critical.
  
  Despite the inherent insect-resistant properties of many hardwoods, the challenging weather conditions within the Borneo interior lead to a relatively rapid deterioration of these woodcarvings. Interestingly, this very deterioration - manifesting as rough surfaces, gouges, wood losses, and other signs of age - is not merely an indication of the hampatong's antiquity but is also considered part of its natural beauty, enthusiastically appreciated by collectors and museums alike.
  
  Provenance: private Los Angeles, California, USA collection, acquired in Bali in the mid-1970s
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #193627

  Condition

  Chip to base reattached with adhesive visible. Some areas of loss, chips, nicks, abrasions, and weathering, as well as old, inactive insect holes, all expected with age and use. Rich patina throughout.
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