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This box, crafted from dark wood with a deep, crusty patina, features a masterfully carved lizard with a relief effect on the top of the box's lid (the lizard being a symbol of fertility and abundance). The deep patina testifies to the devotion it was once subject to. The object comes from the Ifugao region, a province in the Philippines located in the center of the island of Luzon. It is famous for the terraced rice fields of the Philippine mountain range. It was used by shamans for ceremonies, particularly during the planting of rice grains, but also at harvest time. The blood of sacrificed animals dripped onto the box's lid and mingled with the rice grains and areca nuts at the bottom of the box. Similar objects were featured in the 2013 exhibition on the Philippines at the Quai Branly Museum, titled "Philippines, Archipelago of Exchange."
REGION: Philippines
MATERIAL: Wood
PERIOD: 19th century
DIMENSIONS: 11 x 56 cm
Ref: G6A40A0Q6Z