The Naga tribe, once feared head-hunters, live in the mountainous regions in eastern India, on both sides of the border to Burma (for a more detailed explanation see cat. no. 224). The sculpted works offered here are in typical Naga-style, made of yellow cast-alloy (brass) executed with ‘waste mould’ casting and using of beeswax (or resin), with a very old, round plinth made of wood which is firmly connected. Both metal figures display the typical appearance of the ‘antique’. Naga. The female figure wears a headband, earrings, a necklace and a short skirt. The male figure wears a characteristic warrior cap of braided rattan and carries a wooden lance behind his head, with carved hand. Formerly the men of the Naga tribe knotted their long, black hair over such lances. In addition, the warrior wears large ear pegs, and a necklace with pendants of three heads, made out of wood or yellow cast alloy. These indicate how many heads the warrior had conquered until that time. In his right hand he holds a typical Naga-sword ('Dao') and around his hips he wears a loincloth decorated with cowrie shells.
These Naga figures were probably an ancestral or tribal pair, used by the shaman in his oracles.
They both display a very old, ‘soft’ worn usage patina and only minor damage (a small casting mistake on the right hip of the female and an old original repair on the once broken legs of the male).
19th century; H: 34 cm (female with plinth); 31 cm (male with plinth). (ME)

Provenance: Belgian Collection.