Southeast Asia, Indonesia, South Sulawesi Island, Toraja culture, ca. 19th century CE. A sizable, hand-carved wooden granary door with a large, stylized buffalo head protruding from the front. The rectangular door bears a pair of rod-form tenons on the upper and lower corners of one side that enabled it to swing open when in its original housing. The massive buffalo head features a drooping face with a thick snout, a pair of petaloid ears flanking its bovine countenance, and incised horns on either side of a huge, ovoid protuberance above its brow. The dark brown wood coloration is accented with sections of caramel, espresso, and earthen graining. Size: 20" W x 33.625" H (50.8 cm x 85.4 cm); 51.125" H (129.9 cm) on included custom stand.

The Toraja are one of the oldest ethnic groups in all of Indonesia, though they did not view themselves as an ethnic group until the early 20th century. The Dutch colonial government named the people "Toraja" in 1909 as a means of identifying which ethnic groups they controlled during the period of Dutch colonization. The word "Toraja" comes from the Bugis Buginese language term "to riaja," meaning "people of the uplands." Torajans are renowned for their elaborate funeral rites, burial sites carved into rocky cliffs, massive and traditional peaked-roof houses known as tongkonan, and colorful wood carvings.

Doors like this example provided passage between two rooms in a Torajan house. Behind the door was a special room - known as a "sumbung" - used to lay out the dead before funerals. The likeness of a buffalo was oftentimes used on these doors as an auspicious symbol due to their defensive natures and adamant dispositions, and the staff between the horns is symbolic of protection or defense for the dwelling and those within.

Cf. The SFO Museum, accession number L2013.3301.026

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired from 1995 to 2010

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#168565

Area of chipping to top of verso, with several stable hairline fissures across most surfaces, and nicks and abrasions commensurate with age and use. Nice patina throughout, and great preservation to carved buffalo head.