Indonesian Chief's Marker

A chief's marker says very little. On Sumba, it did not need to.

This chief's marker comes from Sumba, Indonesia, of indeterminate age, in sandstone. Sumba is known for a living tradition of megaliths, in which carved stones and tombs honor the dead and announce the standing of noble families. This slab is nearly plain, with its pale gray face mottled and pitted over most of its height. All the carving sits at the top: a rounded rectangle at center, joined on each side to a circle by a small curved arm. It stands 42.5 inches high and measures 19.5 wide.

Rank, stated once, in stone.