This is an oval-shaped wooden sago platter of Asmat origin. It was likely carved in the country of Papua New Guinea in the latter half of the twentieth century by an Asmat artist. It is of moderate weight and features a symmetrical sago tree design carved into its curved surface. The body and fronds of the sago tree are cut half an inch into the surface of the piece and are colored white. The backdrop of the trees is painted red, which has since faded to a rusty orange. At the bottom of the platter is a band of triangular carved decoration. At the top of the platter is a large carved male head which serves as the handle. The head features sunken, bulging eyes with an elongated nose, prominent forehead, ears, and smiling mouth with a large tongue. The nose has triangular nostrils carved into it at its base and there is a carved trench along each cheek resembling scars. The bottom of the platter features no decorations but features a band of red paint across the midsection.
In many examples of Asmat art, the twin colors of white and red are prominently featured. White paint is known as mbi, which is made from mussel shells through a process burning the shells into ash. The red is called wasah and is made from muds which are gathered at riverheads and villages which reside upstream.
Platters such as this one are traditionally used by Asmat peoples for eating sago, one of the most prominent food staples of Papua New Guinea. The sago and the sago tree play a prominent role in many Asmat communities and folktales. The red coloration is considered to have magical properties and is a core aspect of an Asmat myth involving Ofomin, a man whose blood ran into the ground and mixed with the water to form red clay and mud. Capricorn beetles are the most ceremonial food staple in Asmat society, and it is commonly thought that their larval resemblance to human brains contributed to their rise in popularity after missionaries began banning headhunting practices in the late twentieth century.
