Dayak hampatong post, Borneo

Ancestral Dayak hampatong figure in ironwood, 19th century or earlier.

• H with base 67 cm x D 5 cm x W 10 cm.
• H without base 65 cm.

Protective function and Dayak tradition

This hampatong post, hand-carved by the Dayak of Borneo, is part of an ancient tradition linked to the region’s animist beliefs. Made of ironwood, it depicts an ancestral figure endowed with a protective function.

In Dayak culture, these sculptures were placed at village entrances or along paths leading to the river, to ward off harmful influences and watch over the community. They reflect a close relationship between the visible and invisible worlds, characteristic of the Kaharingan religion.

The map above locates the main Dayak communities of Borneo, from which the tradition of hampatong posts originates.

Two other comparable hampatong figures are also available; see below.

• Provenance: Former collection Claude de Marteau.
• Sold with certificate of origin.