19th-Early 20th Century Philippine Marker ‘Sanduk’

Description

Philippine Marker (Sunduk)
19th/Early 20thC
Mindanao
Sulu Archipelago, Phillipines

A fascinating example of the rich cultural heritage of the ‘Sana’a’ … more Philippine Marker (Sunduk)
19th/Early 20thC
Mindanao
Sulu Archipelago, Phillipines

A fascinating example of the rich cultural heritage of the ‘Sana’a’ of the Sulu Archipelago. The use of ironwood, a durable and highly valued material, along with intricate traditional Malay (ukkil lukis) carving, highlights the craftsmanship and deep cultural symbolism embedded in these funerary markers.
The distinction between markers for males and females is also a significant cultural detail, with the more slender, pole-like forms often associated with males, and the broad'er, slab-like forms for females. The weathering and patina add to this markers historical and cultural value.

The islands of the Sulu Archipelago part of the ancient sea trade route, sits between the southern Philippines and Borneo, consequently a crossroads of cultures and artistic traditions.
Like Western markers, these sea-side funeray markers are placed atop the mound of sand and coral. These Sanduk’s .commemorate and symbolize the soul’s progress to the after life, ‘one kind of burial ground to be the most beautiful on earth’.
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Provenance
Estate of Diplomate, 1970.

REFERENCES
Benitez-Johannot, P. (ed.), Paths of Origins: The Austronesian Heritage in the Collections of the National Museum of the Philippines, the Museum Nasional  Indonesia and the Netherlands Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde, ArtPostAsia, 2007.
Fernando-Amilbangsa, L., Visual Arts of the Sulu Archipelago, Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2005.
“Grave Marker,” Mapping Philippine Material Culture, accessed August 28, 2024, https://philippinestudies.uk/mapping/items/show/4336.
The Bajau Laut: Adaptation, History, and Fate in a Maritime Fishing Society of South-Eastern Sabah. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press; Warren, Carol. 1989 less