Description:

Oceania, Papua New Guinea, ca. early 20th century CE. A hand-carved wooden trophy head presenting a dramatic visage comprised of deep-set orbitals, 'bony' contours, and a toothy grin conjuring the macabre. Headhunting was an important part of religious practices throughout Papua New Guinea; it was believed to honor the spirits (imunu) responsible for sustaining and supporting the community. Perhaps this "trophy head" is a reference to such practices and beliefs. Size: 9.375" H (23.8 cm); 10.625" H (27 cm) on included custom stand.

Sacrificial skulls were so coveted that clans created special shrines containing agibas (skull hooks) - sacred objects used to display the skulls. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History provides further insight into the agiba, "Agiba symbolized the vitality and martial prowess of the clan, presiding over the skulls obtained by its members, which were hung from it by loops of rattan placed over the hooklike projections at the base...Only men who had captured an enemy head were entitled to carve agiba. The image reportedly represented a spirit, which revealed itself to the carver in a dream." (https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1978.412.796/)

Provenance: ex-private Tucson, Arizona, USA collection

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#129995

  • Condition: Age cracks and earthen deposits. Loss to upper end perhaps from former attachment. Nice patina.

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March 1, 2018 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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