Dayak Figure

With wide eyes, exposed teeth and a squat, powerful body, this figure is a powerful guardian.  The concave planes of the face emphasize the forcefully projecting curves of the chest and shoulders.  Made of ironwood, this sculpture was difficult to carve but would have endured the elements in the rainforest region of Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo.  Figures like this one were used on coffins or on posts outside of villages or homes, where they guarded inhabitants against illness and misfortune borne by evil spirits and against the attacks of enemy raiders.