Specifications

• Height: 65 and 55 cm
• Material: chalk stone
• Position: seated
• Gender: male and female
• Indigenous name:

Provenance

Collected in village Tabelar, Lauli district, West Sumba by Alfred Bühler in 1949; Museum der Kulturen, Basel.

Publications

Ramseyer, Urs (1979), Indonesien, Basel: Museum für Völkerkunde, ill. III/6; Okker, Frank (2015), Rouffaer; De laatste Indische ontdekkingsreiziger, Amsterdam: Boom, p. 235.

Additional information

Thanks to a photo taken by Rouffaer in november 1910 we know how the original setting looked like. About this tomb he wrote ‘Richly embellished and ornamented tomb in kampung Tabelar, just east of bivouac Wai Kaboebak (district Lauli, West Sumba) seen from the front. Whilst the ornament of the cover stone reminds of the one of no. 115 – so much, that both tombs, lying very near each other that, in my opinion, they are the work of the same stonemason – this is in addition on the front embellished with a male equestrian puppet on a rudimentary horse ( the penis is clearly visible) and behind him a sideways seated – the Sumbanese way – female puppet ( breasts and vagina clearly indicated) …’ 

Both figures represent the mythical ancestors of a clan, lineage or village founders. The same representation is found in Central and West Flores.

Photo credits

colour photo: Peter Horner, b/w photo KITLV 503291, photo taken by Gerret P. Rouffaer 12-11-1910.