Specifications

• Length: 61 cm
• Material: wood
• Position: 
• Gender: 
• Indigenous name:

Provenance

Thomas Murray, Mill Valley

Publications

Thomas Murray (2015), C-14 Dating of Dayak Art, 100-101, 14

Ref. Bruce Frank, East of Borneo, catalogue Parcours des Mondes, Paris 2019, 43-45, nr 15

Additional information

Ref. 001182. It is undeniable that both coffin covers are so similar in execution that a same carver seems plausible. The two larger figures are mirrored with a diminutive figure in between turned 90 degrees and placed exactly in the centre of the lid. One figure is therefore larger than the mirror-image. Whereas no sex is indicated, this could give us a designation regarding male and female. Judged from the size of both examples, a coffin for a child is possible but is also dependant of the second burial practices in the area where the coffin lid was found. The Murray example is radiocorbon dated 926 years BP. The Frank piece is dated conservatively 19th Century (without testing). Because the pieces are so similar, a 19th century or a little earlier, seems likely.

Photo credits

Robert Bengtson, Sausalito.