You are watching at a remarkable museum-quality piece from one of the last traditional villages on Flores Island. The treeshold holds significant symbolic importance in the traditional Ngada house, serving as a connection between the veranda and the main room (one sao).

The Ngada house's interior is divided into three distinct levels: teda moa, teda one, and one sao. The teda moa area is an informal space, where women engage in weaving while caring for their children. Teda one is reserved for more formal occasions, such as guest receptions. The innermost and most sacred part of the house is the one sao, where the family rests and prepares meals. The entrance panel to the one sao, known as kabapere, is exquisitely carved with motifs like buffalo heads, chickens, and sawa, flanking a narrow door. The door's small size demands that anyone entering must bow as a sign of respect.

The one sao is a sacred space, accessible via a wooden ladder called tanghi, the piece offered in this lot. The tanghi is beautifully decorated with naga motifs and features four removable pieces on the top left and right.

This extraordinary artifact is akin to the ones displayed at esteemed institutions like the Yale University Art Gallery Museum.

Personally field collected in Gurusina, this treeshold ladder holds a fascinating history. Obtaining this piece was no easy task, as the villagers consider the house a sacred place, making even its individual parts non-saleable due to their sacred nature.

Carved with typical Naga motifs, this treeshold ladder boasts dimensions of approximately 155 cm x 88 cm x 40 cm (62" x 35" x 16") and weighs around 40 kg. Time and weather have left their mark, evident in the worn and weathered appearance. An evident hole has formed on the board, which adds to its unique character. Please refer to the pictures to get a sense of its authentic charm. Two of the four removable parts that are to be fixed on the top sides have been lost over time.

According to the owner, this extraordinary piece dates back to the mid-20th century. The last two pictures showcase Gurusina village and the ladder that replaced the one now offered for sale. Additional pictures are available upon request.

Owning this treeshold ladder is an opportunity to embrace the profound cultural significance of Ngada tradition and bring home a piece of Flores Island's remarkable heritage.

For inquiries or more pictures, feel free to contact me.