Carved wooden figure of a winged lion, known as a singa barong seated on a plinth of stylized clouds. Such figures were a common subject of Balinese traditional carvings and were often used as decorative finials crowning roof beams in temples or palaces. Singa barong are protective creatures dedicated to helping humans and keeping demonic forces at bay so they are often found as architectural features – especially placed to guard entrances and passages. In Balinese mythology a singa barong is sent to the earth to defeat a rampant witch named Rangda who eats children and caused chaos among the people.
