Suspension hook ·  Papua New Guinea, Iatmul · ID: 3039476

Description

wood, matt greyish brown patina, small remains of black paint, white and red pigment, cowrie shell eyes, in shape of a standing female with extreme broad shoulder/breast part and muscular arms, remains of original painting recognizable around the mouth, rising from sickle-shaped hook, forming a third smaller hook to the backside, eyelet for suspension at the back of the head, slightly dam. (nose), small traces of insect caused damage;
figural hooks were integral components of men’s houses, serving two primary functions, both protective. The first was practical. The sculptures were hung from the rafters or eves, with valuable foods and personal items hung on their hooks, keeping them away from the numerous vermin. The second was the protection the hooks gave as intermediaries to the inhabitant ancestral spirits.