Ancestor figure "kawe" ·  Westneuguinea / Westpapua (Irian Jaya), Asmat · ID: 3033711

Description

wood, remains of faded white, red and black pigment, two stylized figures and a snake, the elongated limbs interwoven, ornamental scarification marks, slightly dam., crack (right hand, base), paint rubbed off, water spots, on metal plate;
depicted in the shape of a “praying mantis”. This so-called “wenet” motif can be looked upon as the symbol for head hunting par excellence, because the female of that kind of insects bites off the males head after copulation took place.

Littérature comparée

Helfrich, Klaus u.a., Asmat, Berlin 1996, p. 182, ill. 12.7