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Loan Object
Photo by Johan Vipper
Photo credit: Johan Vipper
Rock Tomb or Granary Door
19th century
Wood
61 x 54 x 10 cm (24 x 21 1/4 x 3 15/16 in.)
base: 42 x 48 x 8.5 cm (16 9/16 x 18 7/8 x 3 3/8 in.)
with mounting: 18 x 10 cm (7 1/16 x 3 15/16 in.)
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.161
The Toraja bury their dead in cliff caves that are sealed with wooden doors carved with ancestor figures or the head of a buffalo, a symbol of fertility and wealth. Similar doors are also used to close off granaries.
Culture:
Toraja
Period:
19th century
Classification:
Architectural Elements
Geography:
Made in Sulawesi, Indonesia
Status:
On view*
Provenance:
Ex-collection: J. Sadovnic, Bali; M. Johnson, Los Angeles
Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
