Ceremonial spoon ·  Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée - Îles Tami · ID: 3039137

Description

wood, brown patina, traces of white pigment, relief decor at transition point handle/ladle, depicting the head of an ancestor spirit and the open mouth of a stylized crocodile, bird- and fish motif at the tip of the handle, slightly dam., missing parts through insect caused damage (underside of the spoon), abrasion of paint, traces of usage;
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 boilded into a form of thick soup.