Cassera Dayak Hampatong

19th Century Dayak Hampatong from Borneo. 

Hampatong is a general term for a statue or figure. These figures might have served a number of different purposes. In this instance, a figure is depicted holding a box, most likely betel nuts for an offering, it is likely that they represent a mythical ancestor. Such ancestors are believed to protect a village by warding off evil spirits.