Bureau of Interior Affairs Asian Art and Furniture

Ritual ladle of wood and coconut shell from Timor Island, Indonesia (circa 1950s). Intricate spoons and ladles were most likely used for large ceremonial feasts and offerings to ance...

Timor Island sculpted wooden traditional mask (circa 1970s) on contemporary metal stand. This is a traditional mask of a figure with male facial features and two holes as eyes and another for the mouth with a handle below the face. The island of Timor gave rise to a distinctive practice of creating traditional masks whose precise origins and significance remain uncertain. Portraying both male and female ancestors, they were held by men during dances and other ceremonies, including celebrations of victory in war. Carved sculptures and masks are specific to rural villages. Here the practice of animism, or nature-worship, is incorporated with the carving of ancestral statues and masks, which have a ritualistic function. Some occasions that call for these ceremonies may include asking for successful crop planting, for prosperity, for good weather...

Double-sided carved wooden blawong board from Java, Indonesia (circa 1920s-1950s). Blawong boards were used to hold a pair of Keris daggers. They were fix...

Pair of water buffalo horn and carved wood lime powder holders for betel nut from Timor Island (circa 1970s). One is topped by a carved water buffalo and the other, a dog. The first ...