Shield ·  Westneuguinea / Westpapua (Irian Jaya) - Cenderawasih-Bay · ID: 3037097

Description

light wood, black paint, white pigment, of narrow form with raised middle ridge, the front divided in three compartments, painted with hook ornaments in symmetrical arrangement, a stylized figure of an ancestor “korvar” can be found in the middle section, a second one in fully plastic form on top of the shield, handle and strengthening midrip backside, slightly dam., abrasion of paint;
Cenderawasih Bay, formerly Geelvink Bay (Dutch: Geelvinkbaai) is a large bay in northern Papua New Guinea, in the Indonesian province of Papua. All ethnical groups in this area carve “korvar”, figural representations of ancestors. “Korvar” provide the link between the worlds of the dead and the living. As in most Oceanic cultures, the ancestor is consulted for advice and help in all major matters.

Comparing literature

Barbier, Jean Paul, Benitez-Johannot, P., Shields, Munich, London, New York 2000, ill. 65