Slit drum "garamut" · Papua New Guinea - Sepik · ID: 3033712
sold
EUR 400
Size
L: 146 cm
H: 35 cm
L: 57.5 inch
H: 13.8 inch
Description
wood, greyish brown patina, remains of red ochre and white pigment, oval corpus, decorated with curved ornaments, carved with a large anthropomorphic head with crocodile snout, remains of plant fibre tassels, slightly dam., minor missing parts, paint rubbed off, cracks;
presumably remittance work.
big slit drums were considered as particular sacred instruments. Only chosen people were allowed to beat them on important ritual occasions. Small drums were mainly used as signals for passing on news.
Comparing literature
Kelm, Heinz, Kunst vom Sepik, Band I, Berlin 1966, ill. 165 Aumann, Georg, Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Neu Guinea, Coburg 1986, p. 109