Shaman’s Staff

Toba Batak, Sumatra, Indonesia
19th c.

Staffs are among the most important possessions of Batak priests. This staff features a meticulously carved seated figure that gazes with precision into the astral plane. This figure’s distinctive Toba Batak origins are evident in the elongated head, adorned with inlaid eyes and a headdress woven from fiber and horsehair. Its body exhibits great tension with its stylized features, characterized by slender, elongated arms and legs. The patina bears the heavy encrustations and variations that have accumulated over decades of use and exposure.