Exceptional Nias Ornament

The people of Nias Island, off the southwest coast of Sumatra, are renowned for their monumental stone sculptures. Many of Nia's stone sculptures are commemorative in nature and were created to honor members of the nobility, both living and dead.

The ritual stone seats (osa' osa) are unique to the central region of the island; they serve as chairs for high-ranking nobles at feasts and other ceremonies, where they are installed near the house of the giver of the feast as a sign of his exalted rank. This example is of a type called a "hornbill" (gogowaya), named after a large bird important in many Indonesian and Melanesian cultures. The “hornbill” is depicted here not as a discrete species but as a mythical animal that combines the teeth of a fearsome carnivore and the antlers of a deer with the distinctive beak, crest and tail of the hornbill. The result is a composite creature, which acts as a fearsome protector of the nobility and their ancestors.

Magnificent museum piece.

Provenance: from a professor who bought this statue on the island itself in the 70s

Delivery possible or pick up in Bruges, No shipping Statue - nias - indonesia - sumatra - stone - limestone art