Atoni ceremonial skull, Timor Island, Indonesia - Lot 321

Lot 321
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Estimation :
150 - 250 EUR
Atoni ceremonial skull, Timor Island, Indonesia - Lot 321
Atoni ceremonial skull, Timor Island, Indonesia H.22cmxW.17cm This people, the majority group in Timor, live mainly from agriculture and livestock, and their social organization is based on agrarian rites, involving the deities of heaven and earth, in order to honor them. Carved from the front of boar or horse skulls, these figures are important ceremonial objects used in rituals led by shamans known as dunkun. During these ceremonies, animals were captured, sacrificed and eaten, their skulls then being prepared according to a precise ritual, and enriched with magical concoctions. The shaman then proceeded to engrave the skulls, the final step in a ritual process designed to connect with the spirits. The ritual practice of carving animal skulls reflects the animistic belief system of the Atoni people, which was not extinguished by the introduction of Christianity to the territory in the 1910s. Maintaining sacred relationships with nature spirits, deceased ancestors and the deities that populate their environment, the Atoni seek to harness vital energy and sacred essence through their rituals, in order to maintain harmony between the natural and spiritual worlds.
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