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Batak Gold Carrier

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:150.00 USD Estimated At:150.00 - 10,000.00 USD
Batak Gold Carrier
Medium 19.5" tall X 4.5"wide X 8" deep free standing Gold Carrier, excellant shape. Often a female member of the Batak clan was entrusted with the family wealth. Gold and other objects of value were placed in the carrier and then the carrier itself was secreted awary. Elaborately carved from plantation grown hardwoods, the body of the carrier depicts Singa, a mythical lion and is adorned with three additional guardian figures. A bird and Priest adorn the head of the Singa and a Singa Mask guards the treasures. Carefully remove the wooden pin to reveal the hidden compartment behind the Singa Mask. An occasional application of oil will help maintain the high luster of the wood. The Batak homeland is the island of Sumatra at the western end of the modern Republic of Indonesia. It's the fifth largest island in the world and many other tribes live there. Batak peoples live in the remote areas of the mountainous highlands and the eastern and western coastal regions. One thousand meters above sea level, the highlands steep valleys and thick forests made the Batak region inaccessible and impenetrable during the period of scientific, missionary and colonial development. Long known to Europe, the Batak have only relatively recently come to the attention of the West. The Batak consist of six ethenic groups, diverse in dialect and historical experience. Although Islam and Christianity have been strong influences, many of the Batak population still follow religious ideas and practices of their ancestors. The Batak are one of the few cannibalistic peoples know to have a sophistacated calendar, written language, and with their gold trade, also a system of numbers. The carvers of the Batak peoples are considered some of the best primitive carvers in the world. The quality of their workmanship and the beauty of their peices bear witness to the talent of the people that produce them.