Asmat Box 4

Displaying 1 - 10 of 10
Catalog # Name Description
1 2000.2.17 Bowl, Eating This is an Asmat wooden bowl carved in the form of a canoe, likely created in Papua New Guinea in the latter half of the twentieth century. It is painted in varying colors of red, white, and black. The interior surface is painted entirely in white and is carved into the surface of the piece 1.3”. The curved sides and back of the piece feature a geometric design which covers the entire rear portion of the piece. This section is painted in varying patterns of red, white, and black. Each end of the bowl is capped by depictions of an individual’s head. The lower head is small, round, and features a blunt chin. It has a smiling mouth, sunken eyes, and elongated nose. The upper head is larger and features a very prominently pointed chin. Its brow is much more pronounced and its nose is much bigger than the lower head. Both of the heads are painted in shades of red, white, and black. Pieces such as this are produced by the Asmat peoples for practical and ceremonial eating purposes. Traditionally, platters are used to serve roasted balls of sago during meals, which is a staple of Asmat cuisine. On ceremonial occasions, some platters and bowls would also be used to consume the brains of headhunted enemies as a rite of passage. Headhunting in Asmat culture is most prominently associated with notions of fertility and vitality and was commonplace for much of the civilization’s history. The practice of headhunting was discouraged and phased out by missionaries in the late twentieth century, at which time the consumption of ceremonial Capricorn beetles replaced that of human brains. The canoe shape of pieces such as this represents the connection that Asmat peoples have with the rivers and with their canoes. Canoes are the primary mode of transportation throughout the rainforest, and are an essential part of life in many communities. Platters and bowls are often carved so that they blend the forms of men and canoes, symbolizing the connections they have with life and fertility. Colors: White, Red, Black 2000.2.17 (Bowl, Eating) image
2 2000.2.42 Carving, ancestor This is a wooden Asmat ancestor carving which was produced in Papua New Guinea in the latter half of the twentieth century. It is carved from a heavier grade of wood and is carved in the depiction of a female standing with one hand at the hip and one bent across the chest. The figure’s feet are conjoined at the bottom with a wedge meant for plunging the piece into soft mud. The legs and sides of the chest feature carved designs, perhaps a stylistic form of muscle definition. The head is long and finely detailed. It features a jagged hairstyle, short nose, small mouth, shallow brow, and ears. The eyes are pits with two spherical carvings inset into them. The face gives off a sense of sadness or contemplation. The entire piece is unpainted and shows no signs of previous pigments being applied. In much of Asmat culture, carvings for the dead and recently-deceased are produced for funerary events and festivals. After recent deaths, carvings are produced and placed in front of the deceased’s house in the form of a mock battle while community members carry out headhunting raids to seize an enemy head in exchange for the person that died. Death in Asmat culture is believed to never be accidental; it is the result of either headhunting or sorcery, and creates an imbalance in society which must be remedied by the collection of compensating enemy heads. Once this imbalance is remedied, carvings such as this are discarded in the sago forests so that the spirits which inhabit them may rejuvenate the sago trees. Colors: Brown 2000.2.42 (Carving, ancestor) image
3 2000.2.45 Carving, ancestor This is a wooden Asmat ancestral carving which was likely created in Papua New Guinea in the latter half of the twentieth century. It is of moderate weight and is made of hard, dense wood. The figure is of a man, which can be determined by the characteristic phallus carving at the midsection. He is depicted as standing upright with both arms resting on the hips. Both legs feature triangular grooves cut into them (14 on the right leg and 15 on the left), at the middle of which is a swirling pattern. The arms are adorned with similar carvings (11 on the right arm and 8 on the left), which are also painted in red. The chest features a carving in the shape of a wide “M” and the stomach features a circular carving. Along the back runs a zig-zag pattern of carvings which were originally painted in white. Between the shoulder blades is another “M” carving. These carvings most likely denote a stylized form of muscle definition. The head of the figure is long and thin. It features a simple mouth, ears, eyes, and elongated nose. Alone its cheeks are vertical triangular carvings, 4 on the right and 3 on the left. Around the forehead is a carved red band. The face is covered in the remnants of white paint. In much of Asmat culture, carvings for the dead and recently-deceased are produced for funerary events and festivals. After recent deaths, carvings are produced and placed in front of the deceased’s house in the form of a mock battle while community members carry out headhunting raids to seize an enemy head in exchange for the person that died. Death in Asmat culture is believed to never be accidental; it is the result of either headhunting or sorcery, and creates an imbalance in society which must be remedied by the collection of compensating enemy heads. Once this imbalance is remedied, carvings such as this are discarded in the sago forests so that the spirits which inhabit them may rejuvenate the sago trees. Colors: Brown, Red, White, Black 2000.2.45 (Carving, ancestor) image
4 2000.2.52 Carving, ancestor This is a wooden Asmat ancestor carving made of dark, unpainted wood. It features a single figure in abstract design, with thin limbs and oversized head. The figure is built into the frame of the carving, with a pole attached to the base of the chin. The legs extend all the way to the bottom of the piece, where they bend downwards to the base. The hands are resting upon either side of the face. The figure is clearly male, based on the characteristic phallic carving at the waist. Ancestor carvings such as this are produced by the Asmat communities as reflections of people who have died. Often, they are carved in celebration of the festival for the Great Woodcarver Fumeripits, who is said to have carved the first humans out of the wood of the sago tree. In other instances, carvings such as this are placed outside the home of recently deceased individuals until their death has been avenged by a headhunting raid. After the occasions are over, carvings are discarded in the rainforests so that the spirits which inhabit them can rejuvenate the sago trees. Colors: Black, Brown 2000.2.52 (Carving, ancestor) image
5 2000.2.53 Carving, ancestor This is a wooden Asmat ancestor carving featuring two female individuals. The entire piece is unpainted and is comprised of dark, solid wood. There are two figures depicted in this piece, one standing on top of the shoulders of the other. Both are female, as judging by the characteristic genitalia carving at the waist and protrusion carvings on the chest. The bottom figure is standing with arms stretched downwards and clasping a hornbill’s beaks in the hands. The upper figure is smaller and standing with arms stretched downwards to connect with the top of the bottom figure’s head. Both figures feature prominent chins, noses, and brows. Ancestor carvings such as this are produced by the Asmat communities as reflections of people who have died. Often, they are carved in celebration of the festival for the Great Woodcarver Fumeripits, who is said to have carved the first humans out of the wood of the sago tree. In other instances, carvings such as this are placed outside the home of recently deceased individuals until their death has been avenged by a headhunting raid. After the occasions are over, carvings are discarded in the rainforests so that the spirits which inhabit them can rejuvenate the sago trees. Colors: Black, Brown 2000.2.53 (Carving, ancestor) image
6 2000.2.55 Carving, ancestor This is a wooden Asmat ancestor carving depicting three individuals, likely created in Papua New Guinea in the latter half of the twentieth century. The entire piece is coated in a powdery white pigment material which flakes easily. Portions of the piece which are carved inset are painted in red. There are three figures depicted in the piece: the large supportive figure, the smaller upright figure, and a third figure conjoined with the smaller figure. All are depicted as being female. The larger figure is holding on the smaller figure, who is seen holding onto the larger figure’s waist. The legs of the smaller figure are bent and attached to the larger figure’s knees at the feet. The third figure consists only of a head protruding from between the legs of the smaller figure. Due to the nature of the depiction and the imagery of female reproductive organs on the smaller figure, it can be inferred that this may represent a birthing ritual. Many pieces such as this feature vibrant pigment coloration. The white pigment is called mbi, created by crushing and burning mussel shells found in river beds. The red pigment is called wasah and is created by mixing different clays from the banks of rivers along upstream communities. Color is said to have magical properties in Asmat culture, and can indicate such symbolism as strength, power, and mysticism. The carving of ancestors is one part of the extremely important cultural practice of ancestor worship in Asmat society. Carvings of ancestors are always done by the artist whose family members they depict, giving them a very personal sense of value. They are often produced for major ceremonial events such as festivals, feasts, headhunting raids, or the dedication of new community halls. Carvings such as this are also believed to have magical properties. Once their function is served, many are often discarded in the rainforests so that the ancestral spirits which inhabit them may help rejuvenate the sago trees and give the community new life. Colors: Brown, Black, Red, White 2000.2.55 (Carving, ancestor) image
7 2000.2.57 Carving, ancestor This is a wooden Asmat ancestor carving which has its origins in Papua New Guinea in the latter half of the twentieth century. It depicts a character (presumably female) with hands connected in front of the hips and legs conjoined at the feet. The entire piece is carved from a lightweight wood and is painted entirely in a white, chalky pigment. The legs, sides, arms, and chest al feature swirling, non-geometric carvings which might be representative of stylistic musculature. The face of the figure is carved with very prominent features. The mouth is wide and deep, with boomerang-shaped carvings on either side of it. The nose is very large and prominent, framed by a deep brow and two sunken eyes. The eyes themselves are deep inset and host spherical carvings. The top of the head features a stylized hairstyle. The figure can be reasonably judged as a female due to the stylistic circular carvings at the chest and the characteristic hair carving. Ancestor worship is extremely important in Asmat culture and art. The carving of ancestral figures is seen as a means of honoring the past and honoring the recently deceased. Many are produced for great festivals, feasts, and the dedication of new central buildings. The carvings are commonly believed to hold magical properties. After their function has been completed, many are often discarded in the rainforests so that the spirits of the ancestors whom they depict can rejuvenate the sago trees which give communities life. Such carvings are always carved by the artist whose ancestors they depict. Many ancestor carvings feature colored pigments of white, red, and black. White pigment is called mbi and is sourced by crushing and burning mussel shells found in the river beds. Red pigment is called wasah and is sourced from mixing different clays from upstream village communities along the rivers. Paint is also believed to hold magical properties, with different combinations of colors denoting strength, power, and mysticism. Colors: White, Red, Black 2000.2.57 (Carving, ancestor) image
8 2000.2.61 Carving This is a wooden Asmat ancestor carving that would typically adorn a place at the top of a ceremonial bis pole. The piece is largely unpainted, with remnants of red and white paint around the sides and front surfaces. The carving depicts two individuals, one standing upon the shoulders of the other. The bottom figure is (presumably) female and the top figure is male, based upon the phallic carving at the waist of the upper figure and the lack of such carving on the bottom figure. Both figures are holding the heads of hornbill birds in their hands, the beaks of which reach up and connect with their chest and upper lip. There is a crack in the piece which stretches from 6” from the bottom of the lower figure’s leg. Non-original alterations have been made to keep the piece together, as shown by two metal nails inserted into the wood around the crack. This is known to be non-original to the piece since Asmat carvings were always created in one piece without nails or other attachment devices. Ancestral carvings such as this would adorn the tops of bis poles, ceremonial pieces which would be placed outside of the houses of recently deceased individuals. Bis poles and their adornments would display ancestors in chronological succession, representing all the members of a particular family which had since passed away. Poles such as these were placed outside of the deceased individual’s home until the individual had been avenged by headhunting. Death in Asmat traditional culture is never accidental; it is either the result of enemy headhunting raids or sorcery. Retaliatory headhunting is the remedy for imbalance in communities resulting from death. Once balance has been restored, bis poles are uprooted from their place and discarded in the rainforest so that the spirits which inhabit them may rejuvenate the sago trees. Colors: Red, White, Brown
9 2000.2.70 Figure, Religious This is a rectangular wooden Asmat carving depicting two individuals, seated in opposite directions but connecting at the back. It is painted entirely in white, black, and red chalky pigments which dust off easily. Around both of the figures is a round rectangular frame which holds them in place. The larger of the two figures is crouched on the right side, with feet and hands connected to the outside frame. The smaller of the two figures is upside down and is attached to the back of the larger figure at the glutes. This figure is in a crouched position, with feet attached to the back of the larger figure’s head and hands stretched downwards and attached to the outside frame. Both figures feature carved lines on their limbs, torso, and head, possibly as a stylized depiction of musculature. Both feature red paint along these lines and around the facial features. Both also have black painted hair. The biological sex of the figures is ambiguous due to the lack of characteristic genitalia carvings. On the upper left quadrant of the piece are two animal heads, a hornbill in the lower portion and a crocodile in the upper portion. Both animals are populous in Papua New Guinea, particularly along the rivers and waterways on which many Asmat communities are built. Carvings such as this are produced in Asmat society for ceremonial events and for ancestral/spiritual worship. Typically, they depict the ancestral figures of the artist who produces them in ways that honor them and grant mystical power. Carvings such as this are produced for events such as building dedications, ceremonial festivals, and funeral events. After their primary function has been fulfilled, carvings are often discarded in the rainforests so that the spirits which inhabit them may rejuvenate the sago trees. Colors: White, Black, Red, Brown 2000.2.70 (Figure, Religious) image
10 2000.2.83 Carving, ancestor This is a rectangular wooden Asmat carving depicting three individuals, most likely ancestor figures. It is comprised entirely of unpainted dark wood which is very grainy. The bottom and top of the piece are similar bars of straight wood. The sides of the piece are framed in decorative hornbill beaks which connect with the bodies of the three depicted individuals. The bottom individual is in a seated position, with bent knees and elbows resting upon the knees. The two upper individuals are crouched above the bottom individual, with the right one standing upon the shoulders. The arms of the left upper individual are grasping the counterpart’s waist, while its hands are grasping at the elbows of the other. All three figures are of ambiguous biological sex, as they lack either the characteristic carved genitalia features. Ancestor worship plays an incredibly prominent role in Asmat society. The spirits of ancestors are commonly believed to inhabit the rainforests and the art pieces which depict them. Asmat artists carve the likeness of their ancestors into their works in order to call upon a variety of mystical enchantments or powers, such as protection in war, fertility, or good fortune. Ancestral carvings are often produced for events such as building dedications, ceremonial festivals, and funeral rites. After their primary function has been fulfilled, many carvings are discarded in the rainforests so that the spirits which inhabit them may rejuvenate the sago trees. Ancestral carvings are produced by the artist whose ancestors are depicted, making them of high personal value. 2000.2.83 (Carving, ancestor) image