Early male ancestor spirit figure ·  Papua New Guinea - Sepik · ID: 3047159

Description

wood, pigments, base

This particularly beautifully worked figure is decorated with curvilinear ornamentation and shows fine details, such as the feet formed at the base. The graceful arms reach up to the chin, which is extended by a bar-like extension.

The small size of the figure suggests a private use. According to old reports, some men have attached such small figures to their headdresses during ritual ceremonies.

Comparing literature

Reche, Otto, Der Kaiserin-Augusta-Fluss, Hamburg 1913, p. 373 ff.