Carved objects · naturally eroded timber
The Mahakam Archive I
Naturally eroded reclaimed timber from the Mahakam River.
Storytelling
Submerged for years in the waters of the Mahakam, these fragments of timber were slowly transformed by wood-boring organisms. Countless cavities, channels and irregular edges accumulated over time, creating surfaces that could never be reproduced deliberately by hand.
Recovered and mounted without reconstructing the missing material, each piece preserves the encounter between wood, water and living organisms. Every opening records a natural process of erosion, turning once-functional timber into a unique sculptural object shaped by the river itself.
Documented. Material, availability and reference as listed above; origin as reported by the source. The photographs show the object complete.
Not claimed. Maker, date or attribution beyond the reported origin. No antique, ritual or museum status is implied.
Back to Carved objects or the collection. Background in context. Reading: Borneo, Made by Hand. For projects, see sourcing.