Decorative gable carving

Title
Decorative gable carving
Year/Period
early 20th century
Region
Toba Batak, North Sumatra
Object Type
Dimension
Object size: 65.0 x 232.5 x 11.5 cm
Accession No.
2013-00957
Credit Line
Gift of the Mandala Foundation

Intricately carved and painted, this gable carving, known as a tomboman would have been placed between the outer gable panels of the clan house. While the decorative elements of the Batak clan house were largely decorative and symbolic the elaborateness of the carved decorations festooning the Batak house speaks also to the fierce rivalry of clans, as they strove to outshine their neighbours.