Shell currency ring "wamayuwa" ·  Papua New Guinea - Yangoru · ID: 3040158

Description

giant clam (“Tridacna Gigas”), polished, opening cut out in the middle: 10 cm in diameter, thickness of 5 cm, naturally speckled;
very rare according to size and heavyness !
cut with bamboo saws from giant clam shells that are traded in from the coast. Such shell rings are used for currency for all major transactions: bride price, compensation, land payments.

The object Shell currency ring “wamayuwa” with the object ID 3040158 was last part of the auction 82nd Tribal Art Auction at February 27, 2016 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 68 achieved a sales price of EUR 4,500.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about Oceanian art.

Comparing literature

Hamson, Michael, Art of the Boiken, Palos Verdes 2011, p. 226 ff.

Notices

This object is subject to CITES. Please note that it can only be sent within the European Union. At the present time export in third countries is prohibited, respectively, export licenses in third countries for objects containing or made of protected materials are only granted under stringent conditions.