Male figure of an ancestor spirit "blaal" ·  Papua New Guinea - Sepik · ID: 3035969

Description

wood, matt black patina, encrustations with red pigment, characteristic form in the so-called “beak style”, with the long projecting beak-like mouth, slightly dam. (tip of the coiffure), crack (beak tip), base;
according to O. Reche the ancestor figures originally were advancements or supplements of the real ancestor skulls. The idea was, that not only a natural head but a whole body should be offered as abode to the soul of the deceased. According to Reche it can be assumed, that the original form of an ancestor figure consisted of a natural human skull and a wooden trunk. But this was only a transitional stage and finally was detached by such wooden whole-figure-statuettes.