Petite tribal wood and shell mask from Sumba
A SYMBOL OF PROTECTION AND WEALTH
This beautiful piece was hand carved by local artisans on Sumba in Indonesia, once called Sandalwood Island for its prized, aromatic wood. It’s made with ancient techniques featuring some of the islands traditional carving motifs and decorated with Cowrie shells, for millenniums were considered currency and symbols of wealth.
The people of Sumba are historically skilled wood carvers, making masks for harvest festivals, fertility rites, soul catching, death ceremonies and spiritual dances, initiation rites and exorcism rituals. The masks are believed to scare off evil spirits and sickness as well as protecting from natural disasters like drought and floods.
The mask comes complete with a black metal stand and its story printed out for you inside a beautiful envelope. Being artisan crafted each piece is slightly different and each has natural, visible cracks as beautiful signs of the aging of the wood.
Dimensions: 27 x 11 x 11cm with the metal stand
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