Wood-Sculpture Figure of a Male Rice Deity (Bulul). 

Date: 20 century or earlier  

Geography: Philippines

Culture: Ifugao people

Medium: Wood

Dimensions: H. 40 cm ( 16 in) × W.16 cm ( 7 in ), 1.5 kg

The Bul-ul or Bulol is an Ifugao anthropomorphic carving that symbolizes an Ifugao rice god or guardian spirits. It also signifies fertility and is sometimes believed to house spirits of ancestors. A Bulul has a shape of a human being, whether male or female. It consists of a head, a torso, and a pair of hands and legs mounted on a platform for stability. It is carved out of strong narra or ipil wood and sometimes stone. Sizes also vary, depending on its use. This traditional art form may seem crude, lacking in sophistication, but it has been praised as a fine example of abstract art.