NHB officers will NEVER ask you to transfer money or disclose bank log-in details over a phone call. Call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799 if you are unsure if something is a scam. For more information on how to protect yourself against scams, please visit www.scamshield.gov.sg.

Ironwood carving of a man on jar

Title

Creator

Dayak people

Year/Period

20th century

Region

Sarawak, Borneo

Object Type

sculpture (visual works), hampatongs

Material

ironwood

Technique

woodcarving (process), woodworking

Dimension

Object size: L50 x W37 x H253 cm

Accession No.

2001-01763

Collection of

Asian Civilisations Museum

This is a guardian statue that may represent a revered ancestor of a Dayak group from interior Sarawak. The statue evokes prestige and power, indicated by the four animals flanking it and the highly valued heirloom jar that the figure is standing on. Such carvings or 'hampatong' would have been placed at village entrances to ward off evil spirits.