Replacement skull "kus" · Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée - Sepik · ID: 3041923
Description
wood, black and white pigment, reproducing an overmodelled skull, eyes with mother-of-pearl inlay, slightly dam., minor missing parts (right ear), traces of insect caused damage backside, crack, paint rubbed off;
when a trophy skull was lost or destroyed, a wooden head called “kus” was carved to replace it. In later years after head-hunting was banned by the authorities, wooden heads were used at initiation ceremonies in place of real and “freshly hunted” ones. The young initiate had to kill an enemy and “take” the head before entering the adult world.
L’objet Replacement skull “kus” avec l’ID d’objet 3041923 a fait partie de la vente aux enchères 85th Tribal Art Auction dans 4 mars 2017. L’objet portant le numéro de lot 39 a atteint un prix de vente de 2 600 € pour un prix d’adjudication de 2 000 €.
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Littérature comparée
Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. I, Köln 1995, ill. 65