Atoni West Timorese Small Fossilized Coral Mask tiny dice Another little drawing from several

Another little drawing from several I recently purchased together by a Charles Martin Jr

9 1/4" tall x 9" widest diameter

with the iron 5/8" thick

but he had not identified its maker

Atoni West Timorese Small Fossilized Coral Mask tiny dice Another little drawing from severalThis small carving is made of ancient fossilized brain coral (Symphillia, formed in the Miocene era 6 10 million years ago), and comes from the Atoni culture (also known as the Atoin Meto, Atoin Pah Meto, and Dawan) of Indonesian West Timor. As I understand it, masks like this were traditionally thought to contain the spirit of ancestors, and were kept inside the house to provide protective spirits for the home. (Relatedly, there is some really