Ritual decorated front panel
Description
wood, faded greyish brown patina on the front, blackish brown patina on the back, carved with five stylized buffalo heads (“mithun”) and deer head, one arranged on top of each other with an anthropomorphic head on top, strong traces of weathering, cracks, traces of insect caused damage, missing parts (above all at the lower rim), rep. (continuous crack fixed by wooden plugs and two iron clamps on the frontside), metal band and wood strips backside;
such carved panels formed the front of the houses of the most eminent society members and of the “morungs”.The “morung” was at the same time a guard-post and a meeting place for the men, a place where guests were received and community affairs discussed and decided upon. The most frequently recurring motif on such panels is the massive head of the “mithun” (“bos frontalis”, a kind of bison). The head of such a buffalo was a symbol for wealth and for success in headhunting as well. The majestic frontispices remind the community of the grandeur of the feasts of merit and of the power of the families who celebrated them.