Bone dagger
Papua New Guinea - Sepik
sold
EUR 1,300
Provenance
Augustin Krämer, Stuttgart, GermanyPaul Mißner, Stuttgart, Germany
Size
L: 35,5 cm
L: 14.0 inch
Description
bone, polished, dark patina rubbed into the deepenings, split and sharpened, decorated with notched ornaments and two cowrie snails, band of plaited plant fibres, collection label “L.2/129 Knochen Dolch N. Guinea” and inscription “L.2/129 Sepik A. Kr.”, min. dam., slight traces of usage;
bone daggers were stuck into a plaited band on the upper arm, they were used as weapon for hunting and for fighting. Besides of this they had ceremonial function as well, above all those, which were made of human bone.