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Hearst Museum object titled Amulet, accession number 18-1017, described as Amulet, bone, incised figures and inscription; Batak characters on one side, other side has two anthropomorphic protective spirit figures (”pinarhalak”), one six-pointed sign and one curvilinear design (”bindu matoga”); elongated triangle perforated at narrow end. Made from incised rib from sacrificed water buffalo. Used as a protective amulet worn by warriors under the headcloth to ward off bullets, missiles, and lethal blows. Other used: hung on the roof post of the house during ritual hand washing; worn by menstruating women to ward off ghosts and spirits that might cause illness; the figures are apotropaic, and the inscription is a spell summoning certain spirits. Length 17.3 cm.

Hearst Museum object titled Amulet, accession number 18-1018, described as Amulet, bone, triangular; one side has incised Batak characters and one anthropomorphic protective spirit figure (”pinarhalak”); on other side is incised curvilinear design (”bindu matoga”) perforated at narrow end. Made from incised scapula. Used as a protective amulet worn by warriors under the headcloth to ward off bullets, missiles, and lethal blows. Other used: hung on the roof post of the house during ritual hand washing; worn by menstruating women to ward off ghosts and spirits that might cause illness; the figures are apotropaic, and the inscription is a spell summoning certain spirits. Length 12.3 cm.

Hearst Museum object titled Amulet, accession number 18-941, described as Amulet, bone, section of rib, with incised figures of a mythical fish and bird on one side and a Batak inscription on the other; perforation on one end. Made from rib bone of sacrificed water buffalo. Used as a protective amulet; worn by warriors under headcloth to ward off bullets, missiles, and lethal blows; other uses: hung on the roof post of the house during ritual hair washing; worn by menstruating women to ward off ghosts and spirits that might cause illness; the figures are apotropaic, and the inscription is a spell summoning certain spirits. Length 13.5 cm.

Hearst Museum object titled Amulet, accession number 18-1016, described as Amulet, bone, incised figures and inscription; Batak characters on one side, other side has anthropomorphic protective figures (two) (“pinarhalak”), curvilinear design (”bindu matoga”) and a five-pointed star (”tapak silima lima”); elongated triangle perforated at narrow end. Made from incised rib from sacrificed water buffalo. Used as a protective amulet worn by warriors under the headcloth to ward off bullets, missiles, and lethal blows. Other used: hung on the roof post of the house during ritual hand washing; worn by menstruating women to ward off ghosts and spirits that might cause illness; the figures are apotropaic, and the inscription is a spell summoning certain spirits. Length 18.7 cm.

Hearst Museum object titled Amulet, accession number 18-940, described as Amulet, bone; one side covered with inscription in Batak characters; other side has a protective spirit figure, a seven-pointed star, and eight-armed and four-armed cross; triangular shape, perforation near apex. Made from scapula of a sacrificed water buffalo. Used as a protective amulet; worn by warriors under the headcloth to ward off bullets, missiles, and lethal blows; other used: hung on the roof post of the house during ritual hand washing; worn by menstruating women to ward off ghosts and spirits that might cause illness; the figures are apotropaic, and the inscription is a spell summoning certain spirits. Length 16.5 cm

Hearst Museum object titled Book, accession number 18-942, described as Book, written in Batak character in black ink on a long piece of bark folded like an accordion. A magician’s book for controlling spirits. Width 6 cm.

Hearst Museum object titled Book, accession number 18-1543, described as Book, bark, with dark brown wooden covers, one of which has a gecko in relief; the bark folds accordion-fashion, written on both sides in Batak script of Indic derivation; includes diagrams of supernatural spirits and apotropaic signs. Contains formulas for carrying out certain exorcisms and rituals. It is a mnemonic device for Batak sorcerers. 18 x 13.6 x 3 cm.

Hearst Museum object titled Calendar, accession number 18-945, described as calendar inscribed in Batak script on a joint of bamboo; Context of use: calendar divided into 12 months of 30 days each; used for determining lucky and unlucky days for various undertakings, especially marriages and wars. Sometimes the magician spins it into a dish of water and reads the upper visible portion as an augury

Hearst Museum object titled Lid with figurine, accession number 18-1019b, no description available.

Image Missing: Hearst Museum object titled Photograph, accession number 13-5862, described as Batak village. Print only.

Hearst Museum object titled Amulet, accession number 18-1017, described as Amulet, bone, incised figures and inscription; Batak characters on one side, other side has two anthropomorphic protective spirit figures (”pinarhalak”), one six-pointed sign and one curvilinear design (”bindu matoga”); elongated triangle perforated at narrow end. Made from incised rib from sacrificed water buffalo. Used as a protective amulet worn by warriors under the headcloth to ward off bullets, missiles, and lethal blows. Other used: hung on the roof post of the house during ritual hand washing; worn by menstruating women to ward off ghosts and spirits that might cause illness; the figures are apotropaic, and the inscription is a spell summoning certain spirits. Length 17.3 cm.

Amulet

1 of 17

Hearst Museum object titled Amulet, accession number 18-1018, described as Amulet, bone, triangular; one side has incised Batak characters and one anthropomorphic protective spirit figure (”pinarhalak”); on other side is incised curvilinear design (”bindu matoga”) perforated at narrow end. Made from incised scapula. Used as a protective amulet worn by warriors under the headcloth to ward off bullets, missiles, and lethal blows. Other used: hung on the roof post of the house during ritual hand washing; worn by menstruating women to ward off ghosts and spirits that might cause illness; the figures are apotropaic, and the inscription is a spell summoning certain spirits. Length 12.3 cm.

Amulet

2 of 17

Hearst Museum object titled Amulet, accession number 18-941, described as Amulet, bone, section of rib, with incised figures of a mythical fish and bird on one side and a Batak inscription on the other; perforation on one end. Made from rib bone of sacrificed water buffalo. Used as a protective amulet; worn by warriors under headcloth to ward off bullets, missiles, and lethal blows; other uses: hung on the roof post of the house during ritual hair washing; worn by menstruating women to ward off ghosts and spirits that might cause illness; the figures are apotropaic, and the inscription is a spell summoning certain spirits. Length 13.5 cm.

Amulet

3 of 17

Hearst Museum object titled Amulet, accession number 18-1016, described as Amulet, bone, incised figures and inscription; Batak characters on one side, other side has anthropomorphic protective figures (two) (“pinarhalak”), curvilinear design (”bindu matoga”) and a five-pointed star (”tapak silima lima”); elongated triangle perforated at narrow end. Made from incised rib from sacrificed water buffalo. Used as a protective amulet worn by warriors under the headcloth to ward off bullets, missiles, and lethal blows. Other used: hung on the roof post of the house during ritual hand washing; worn by menstruating women to ward off ghosts and spirits that might cause illness; the figures are apotropaic, and the inscription is a spell summoning certain spirits. Length 18.7 cm.

Amulet

4 of 17

Hearst Museum object titled Amulet, accession number 18-940, described as Amulet, bone; one side covered with inscription in Batak characters; other side has a protective spirit figure, a seven-pointed star, and eight-armed and four-armed cross; triangular shape, perforation near apex. Made from scapula of a sacrificed water buffalo. Used as a protective amulet; worn by warriors under the headcloth to ward off bullets, missiles, and lethal blows; other used: hung on the roof post of the house during ritual hand washing; worn by menstruating women to ward off ghosts and spirits that might cause illness; the figures are apotropaic, and the inscription is a spell summoning certain spirits. Length 16.5 cm

Amulet

5 of 17

Hearst Museum object titled Book, accession number 18-942, described as Book, written in Batak character in black ink on a long piece of bark folded like an accordion. A magician’s book for controlling spirits. Width 6 cm.

Book

6 of 17

Hearst Museum object titled Book, accession number 18-1543, described as Book, bark, with dark brown wooden covers, one of which has a gecko in relief; the bark folds accordion-fashion, written on both sides in Batak script of Indic derivation; includes diagrams of supernatural spirits and apotropaic signs. Contains formulas for carrying out certain exorcisms and rituals. It is a mnemonic device for Batak sorcerers. 18 x 13.6 x 3 cm.

Book

7 of 17

Hearst Museum object titled Calendar, accession number 18-945, described as calendar inscribed in Batak script on a joint of bamboo; Context of use: calendar divided into 12 months of 30 days each; used for determining lucky and unlucky days for various undertakings, especially marriages and wars. Sometimes the magician spins it into a dish of water and reads the upper visible portion as an augury

Calendar

8 of 17

Hearst Museum object titled Lid with figurine, accession number 18-1019b, no description available.

Lid with figurine

9 of 17

Photograph

10 of 17

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Photograph6 objects
Amulet5 objects
Book2 objects
Calendar1 objects
Lid with figurine1 objects
Shaman’s staff1 objects
Tube1 objects

Black-and-white prints (photographs)6 objects
Photographic prints6 objects
Photographic prints by color6 objects
Photographs6 objects
Positives (photographs)6 objects
Amulets5 objects
Books2 objects
Information artifacts2 objects
Information artifacts by physical form2 objects
Calendars (documents)1 objects

more Object class »

ethnography17 objects

legacy documentation15 objects
image10 objects

Greater Sunda Islands, Indonesia17 objects
Indonesia17 objects
OceaniaRemove constraint Collection place: Oceania17 objects
Sumatra, Indonesia17 objects

Year collected range begin Year collected range end

[Missing]17 objects

unknown6 objects
Earl M. Blair5 objects

George A. Pettitt6 objects
Mrs. Earl M. Blair5 objects
Gerard Harpin1 objects
Lawrence E. Dawson1 objects

Asian cultures17 objects
Batak17 objects
Indonesian cultures17 objects
Maritime Southeast Asian cultures17 objects
Southeast Asian cultures17 objects
Sumatran culturesRemove constraint Culture or time period: Sumatran cultures17 objects

Bone (material)1 objects

Acc.22006 objects
Acc.30835 objects
Acc.35981 objects
Acc.41161 objects

View distribution

Current results range from 1965 to 1973

Accession year range begin Accession year range end

[Missing]6 objects

5.2 Magic: Objects Associated with Practices reflecting confidence in the ability to manipulate supernatural agencies11 objects

S1978-1979 #7: Music Library (UC Berkeley)/Ann Basart (July 13, 1978–October 25, 1978)4 objects
S1975-1976 #21: Southeast Asian Studies Department (UC Berkeley)/Margot Lyon (October 23, 1975–October 23, 1975)1 objects
S1975-1976 #24: Southeast Asian Studies Department (UC Berkeley)/Margot Lyon (October 28, 1975–October 28, 1975)1 objects
S1980-1981 #79: Department of Art History (UC Berkeley)/Jerome Feldman (June 25, 1981–August 5, 1981)1 objects

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