Transcript of the book:the roof of ijuk (arenga-fibres), is high and steep, with projecting gables at each end: on the peaked gable in front is the skull of a buffalo or an imitation of its head in ijuk with real horns attached. But the characteristic adornment of the gable front of the houses of the better kind is a most elaborate concern called giorognom-giorognom (fig. 5), of which i give here a drawing as more eloquent than the best worded description. Besides, on each side of the facade, is a huge symbolic figure-head, elaborately carved and painted; it has a sort of proboscis and a generally elephantine aspect, it is called signa (fig. 6), and may be a relic of ganesa, for the battaks show many signs of remote hindoo influence. Besides actual specimens of the giorognom, signa and various painted house-boards, modigliani's collection contains beautiful reduced models of one and moveables. Date: 1893.
Loading...
