Currency / ornament ring "pal yua" · Papua New Guinea, Abelam · ID: 3047908

Name: Currency / ornament ring "pal yua"
SKU: 3047908
Availability: Discontinued

not available anymore

Size

H: 23,5 cm

B: 24,5 cm

D: 9 cm (central opening)

H: 9.3 inch

B: 9.6 inch

D: 3.5 inch (central opening)

Description

clamshell (“Tridacna Gigas”), base

“Yua” means “clam shell ring” in the language of the Abelam people and “pal” is their name for the hornbill. His beak served as model for the notches engraved on the outer rim of the clam shell rings, indicating the number of transactions of its respective owner (e.g. pig sacrifices, ritual trades or marriage).

The Abelam measure their wealth in such rings and use them for bride price. The price of a wife varies from one to six rings depending on her rank.

The object Currency / ornament ring “pal yua” with the object ID 3047908 was last part of the auction 96th Auction at April 24, 2021 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 23.

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