Sanggori Amulet

Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
Circa 1900
PROVENANCE: Irwin Hersey, NY.

The Sanggori amulet is one of the most alluring abstract forms in Indonesian art. The Sanggori is a sacred amulet cast in a spiral form. This serpentine form is symbolic of a serpent, a symbol of the "lower world" and of agriculture in Indonesian cosmology. Sometimes worn as a head ornament, the Sanggori was used by shamans to cure the sick. The amulets were also placed in the center of a house shrine or alter and could be used as puppets in powerful rituals. This example is made of brass alloy, and the decoration gives it a fantastic circular rhythm.

Brass Alloy
Height: 6 " in. x 9.75 " in.
IN 2-10-14 / SOLD