Replacement skull "kus" ·  Papua New Guinea - Sepik · ID: 3041923

Description

wood, black and white pigment, reproducing an overmodelled skull, eyes with mother-of-pearl inlay, slightly dam., minor missing parts (right ear), traces of insect caused damage backside, crack, paint rubbed off;
when a trophy skull was lost or destroyed, a wooden head called “kus” was carved to replace it. In later years after head-hunting was banned by the authorities, wooden heads were used at initiation ceremonies in place of real and “freshly hunted” ones. The young initiate had to kill an enemy and “take” the head before entering the adult world.

The object Replacement skull “kus” with the object ID 3041923 was part of the auction 85th Tribal Art Auction on March 4, 2017. The object with the lot number 39 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,600 with an asking price of EUR 2,000.

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Comparing literature

Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. I, Köln 1995, ill. 65