This is a wooden Asmat carving depicting two female human individuals embracing each other in a seated position. It measures 21x9x4 and is completely unpainted. It is comprised of very dark heavy wood with little exposed grain. The right figure is in a seated position with face facing forwards. The figure on the left is in a standing position with face facing to the right. The hands of the left figure are grasping onto the hips of the left figure, and the hands of the right figure are grasping the elbows of the right figure. The legs of the right figure are attached to the upper legs of the left figure. At the base of the carving is a stylized cassowary head, as indicated by the curved beak. Both figures are female based on the carvings located on the upper portion of the chest. The faces of both figures are very featureless and have little definition. Carved lines decorate the bodies of both figures as stylized musculature.
Carvings such as this often depict ancestor individuals for the artists who produced them. These are produced for events such as funeral rituals, ceremonial festivals, and building dedications. The spirits of the ancestors are believed to take an active role in the mortal world and are often associated with artistic images and symbols. Once the primary function of an ancestor carving is completed, they are often discarded in the rainforest so that the spirits which inhabit them rejuvenate the sago trees.
Colors: Brown, Black