soft and light "jelutong" wood, shield and grip carved from a single piece, on both sides painted in black and red with stylized dragon motifs, strengthened with rattan strips to prevent splitting when struck by a sword, front with tufts of human hair taken from the warriors victims, dam., long cracks, slight traces of insect caused damage and usage;
wood shields were used for protection in warfare, on headhunting raids, or ceremonial display. The spiritually charged "monster" figure painted on the front is meant to frighten the enemy.
H: 109 cm; B: 35,5 cm
Provenance:
Fritz Kouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Henk van Halm, The Netherlands (Inventory No. IN-180167)
Lit.: van Zonneveld, Albert G., Traditional weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago, Leiden 2001, p. 73
Continent: Asia

See description