MEASUREMENTS:   9.4" x 4.5" x 1.8" (cm 24 x 11.5 x 4.5)  

An ancient, finely crafted terracotta figurine depicting an ancestral male figure, pertaining to the animistic tribal culture of the Atoni group in West Timor.

The piece features rounded forms, a seated posture with bent and splayed legs, feet pointing outward, a large, round head wider than it is tall, facial features concentrated in the central part of the face, and a surprised/frightened expression, with clasped hands at the abdomen. 

It bears a substantial age patina and shows signs of wear. This is an exceedingly rare item: in approximately a decade of field exploration and collecting in West Timor , I have never come across a piece of this kind. Condition-wise, it has experienced multiple historical fractures and various adhesive repairs that have developed a certain patina over time, suggesting they occurred in the distant past. In general, the piece appears stable and possesses museum-quality attributes.