2000.2.99 (Dagger)

2000.2.99 (Dagger) image

This is an Asmat dagger carved from a single piece of cassowary bird thigh bone. It was produced by Asmat artisans in Papua New Guinea in the late twentieth century and maintains much of its original features. The piece features a single slender blade without serrated edges. At the end of the blade is a jagged tooth-like carving intended to pierce in a stabbing motion. At the opposite end of the dagger is a pommel wrapped in finely woven twine. Attached to the pommel are eight cords made of beads and plant stalks, at the ends of which are attached large feathery tassels.

Daggers are highly prized in Asmat culture and are often produced from either human or bird bone. They are known for their great strength and elegant craftsmanship, and serve both practical and ceremonial purposes. Although the use of daggers such as this has decreased in recent decades, they still have a special place in Asmat culture due to their ethnographic history. The use of bone in the construction of daggers has also decreased due to the introduction of refined metals by colonial powers in the late twentieth century, although bone daggers are still sometimes created for ceremonial occasions.

Colors: Brown, Black, White

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