In Focus

In the Lesser Sunda Islands, the use of turtle shells for crafting items of personal adornment is not uncommon. On the island of Sumba, however, striking women's combs were fashioned from this precious and beautiful material.

In an 1892 publication, the Dutch missionary N. Rinnooy writes about his exploration of a pagan "sanctuary" on the small island of Kisar. The rectangular construction had an attic room, which was accessed by climbing a steep staircase and opening a hatch that divided the room in two. "The front section of the attic," according to Rinnooy, "is the place of the gods.

One of the most noticeable basic forms in the traditional arts of Island Southeast Asia is the squatting position of carved anthropomorphic figures: the knees are raised in front of or to the right and left of the body. At one time, this sculptural form was widespread and could be found in Taiwan, the Philippines, parts of Borneo and Sulawesi, and—very prominently—in the Southeast Moluccas.

In Indonesia, the chewing of betel nut was once a ubiquitous tradition. Betel can be consumed in many ways, including in conjunction with tobacco to heighten its effects.

The following essay is from the 1989 publication American Furniture in the Bybee Collection, by Charles L. Venable.

A small group of similar but also highly individualized masks from Timor is noteworthy for the masks' great age and their simple, sometimes raw, but always evocative facial features. Given the long period of time over which they were used, these masks always display varied surface areas. Usually, they consist of hardened layers that are partly granulated, in combination with areas that exhibit a glossy black patina.

Throughout Indonesia, traditional peoples created a wide variety of protective charms to ensure well-being and prosperity. Images of animals, ancestors, and spirit beings were cast in various materials and carved from wood, bone, and, in some rare instances, ivory. A small number of amulets crafted from either wood or buffalo horn are known to exist from Atauro.

The Dallas Museum of Art has three outstanding examples of tubular skirts from the Belu region of Timor. These impressive sarong feature supplementary weft wrapping techniques.

Formerly known as Kambing or Goat Island, Atauro is a small island dominated by several extinct volcanoes that are surrounded by a mostly dry and rugged landscape. The island is less than sixteen miles from Dili and the Timor mainland.

The following essay is from the 1989 publication American Furniture in the Bybee Collection, by Charles L. Venable.