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<em>Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara)</em>, early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 34.6075_SL1.jpg)
Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara), early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 34.6075_SL1.jpg)
<em>Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara)</em>, early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 34.6075_SL1.jpg)

Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara), early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 34.6075_SL1.jpg)

<em>Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara)</em>, early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.34.6075_front_print_bw.jpg)

Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara), early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.34.6075_front_print_bw.jpg)

<em>Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara)</em>, early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , CUR.34.6075_34.6076_view2_print_bw.jpg)

Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara), early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , CUR.34.6075_34.6076_view2_print_bw.jpg)

<em>Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara)</em>, early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , CUR.34.6075_34.6076_view1_print_bw.jpg)

Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara), early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , CUR.34.6075_34.6076_view1_print_bw.jpg)

<em>Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara)</em>, early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , CUR.34.6074_34.6075_34.6076_print_bw.jpg)

Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara), early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , CUR.34.6074_34.6075_34.6076_print_bw.jpg)

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Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara)

Arts of the Pacific Islands

To honor deceased family members, villagers kept carved wooden figures to contain the souls of their ancestors in the family house. These two female figures (adu bihara) holding small bowls are a type of image that was often tied together in a row to suggest a lineage of ancestors.

This text refers to these objects: 34.6075; 34.6076
MEDIUM Wood, pigment
  • Place Made: Gunungsitoli Village, Nias Island, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia
    • DATES early 20th century
    DIMENSIONS 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm)  (show scale)
    COLLECTIONS Arts of the Pacific Islands
    ACCESSION NUMBER 34.6075
    CREDIT LINE George C. Brackett Fund
    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Wooden female figure, seated, with prominent headdress. Represents an ancestor.
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara), early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 34.6075_SL1.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 34.6075_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
    "CUR" at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. These study images may be digital point-and-shoot photographs, when we don\'t yet have high-quality studio photography, or they may be scans of older negatives, slides, or photographic prints, providing historical documentation of the object.
    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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    <em>Ancestor Figure (Adu Bihara)</em>, early 20th century. Wood, pigment, 8 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (22.5 x 6 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, George C. Brackett Fund, 34.6075. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 34.6075_SL1.jpg)

    TAGS

    squatting
    earlobes
    wood
    figures
    ancestor

    TAGS

    squatting
    earlobes
    wood
    figures
    ancestor

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