This is a rectangular wooden Asmat carving which would have once possibly adorned the top of a bis pole. The entire piece is painted in chalky white and red pigments which easily dust off. The bottom 14” of the piece consists of two swirling patterns set on opposite sides of a wooden bar. The upper ride side of the piece feature two animal heads, both hornbills. The two human figures inhabit the upper half of the piece. One is standing on the back of the other. Both have their arms bent with their hands connected to the bottom of their chin. Both figures also feature carved lines across the torsos and limbs, perhaps as stylized muscle definition.
Although unclear, this piece may once have been part of a bis pole, which would have been placed outside the home of a recently deceased member of a community. Because death in Asmat culture is widely believed to be the result of enemy headhunting or sorcery, the imbalance of society cannot be remedied until vengeance is enacted. Once balance is restored, bis poles are discarded in the rainforest so that the ancestral spirits which inhabit them can rejuvenate the sago trees.
Colors: White, Red, Brown
