This is a wooden Asmat ancestor carving depicting two individuals embracing with the heads of two other individuals at their feet. The entire piece is unpainted and is made of dense wood with dark brown finish and visible vertical grain. The two figures are female and are both embracing one another. The arms of the left figure are resting on the right figure’s legs, and the arms of the right figure are connected to the left figure’s elbows. The necks of both figures are connected with a large wooden beam. The noses of the two figures are almost touching, indicating that they may either be relatives or closely related family members. At the feet of both the figures are the heads of two more individuals, which also feature a large wooden beam connecting their severed necks. The bottom of the piece shows signs of sawing, suggesting that the heads once belonged to a much larger carving with multiple whole human forms. It can be reasonably deduced that this is not an alteration made by the artist.
Carvings such as this often serve as ceremonial pieces representing the ancestors of the artist who carved it. They are made for festivals and reverential occasions, as well as for spiritual protection while a deceased member of society is avenged in headhunting raids. After their purpose has been fulfilled, they are often discarded in the rainforests so that their spirits may rejuvenate the sago trees.
Colors: Brown, Black