Rock Tomb or Granary Door | Yale University Art Gallery

19th century

On view, 3rd floor, Indo-Pacific Art

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.

Medium: Wood
Dimensions: 24 × 21 1/4 × 3 15/16 in. (61 × 54 × 10 cm)
base: 16 9/16 × 18 7/8 × 3 3/8 in. (42 × 48 × 8.5 cm)
with mounting: 7 1/16 × 3 15/16 in. (18 × 10 cm)
Credit Line: Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
Loan number: ILE2012.30.161
Geography: Made in Sulawesi, Indonesia
Culture: Toraja
Classification: Architectural Elements
Disclaimer: 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 records is ongoing.

Provenance

Ex-collection: J. Sadovnic, Bali; M. Johnson, Los Angeles

Object copyright

No Copyright - United States

Additional information

Object/Work type

doors, funerary art

Technical metadata and APIs

IIIF: Open in Mirador

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