Ceremonial ladle ·  Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée - Îles Tami · ID: 3038113

Description

wood, blackish brown patina, chalk, reliefic decor at the transition point of handle to ladle (stylized crocodile head), slightly dam., missing part (small projection), crack in the ladle partly spread with blackish tar-like mass;
used for sago, a starchy flour, which is produced from the inner pith of the sago palm. The flour is dried as a coarse powder or in cake form and can be stored for many months. The flour is mixed with water and can be eaten as fried cakes or boiled into a form of thick soup.