Cassowary skull

Description

preserved skull of a great cassowary (“Cassuarius cassuarius”) with helmet, neck with knotted plant fibre casing, cord material for suspension around the neck now missing (only small remains left), good condition, metal socle;
cassowaries played an important role in everday life of the Papua peoples for centuries. They were hunted because of their meat, which is considered quite delicious. Their feathers served as ornament; the quills were used as nose- or lip plugs, their claws form the tips of arrows and their bones were used to produce tools and implements. Aside of their practical benefit the cassowaries played a spiritual part as well. With the Arapesh the goddess of the tribe appears in the shape of a cassowary and is part of various fertility rites. The people of Kalam believe the cassowaries to be reincarnations of female ancestors, which is why the hunt of the birds is strictly forbidden.