Fetish

The bone comes from the “Sambar” stag from which many mandau handles of the Dayak are carved. The bone is worked in such a way that a face is created to which various objects such as two glass bottles, animal teeth, textile bags with contents (?) and strings of pearls are attached.

This fetish was hung in the door frame of a longhouse to keep evil spirits away.

Object Fetish
Culture Borneo, Bidayuh-Dayak West-Sarawak(?)
Time Around 1900
Dimensions Height 16,5 cm,  width 11 cm
Material Skull bone (deer “Sambar”)) Glass bottles, animal teeth, textile bags with contents, linen fabric, beads, shells
Supplementing Literature Back to room view