Asmat Box 9
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8
| Catalog # | Name | Description | ||
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| 1 | 2000.2.2 | Platter | This is a wooden Asmat platter carved with vibrant geometric patterns and a decorated handle. The front of the piece features a symmetrical swirling design painted in a combination of red, white, and black pigments. The edges of the platter feature carved triangles painted in red. Both ends of the platter are painted in black, giving the piece a very burnt orange look. The handle is carved in the image of a seated male human figure, with knees bent and elbows resting upon the knees. At an unknown point in time, the handle broke off from the main platter, leaving the feet behind. The figure’s right arm also broke off. The figure itself is painted mostly in white, with red accents and black hair. The mouth and eyes are quite detailed, and feature multiple colors. Platters such as this are often produced for the consumption of roasted sago balls at both everyday and ceremonial meals. They are carved primarily from the wood of the sago tree and often feature decorated handles in the image of ancestral figures. This represents the interconnectedness that the Asmat feel between humans and the natural world, as well as a means to revere the ancestors. Colors: White, Red, Brown, Black |
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| 2 | 2000.2.23 | Platter | This is a wooden Asmat platter carved in the likeness of a dugout canoe. The entire piece is unpainted and is made of very dark wood with very visible vertical grain. Both ends of the platter are pointed to resemble the prows of canoes, with one elongated and one blunted somewhat. The underside of the platter is carved in a very symmetrical geometric pattern representing the scales on a crocodile, common animals along the waterways of Papua New Guinea. The blunted end can be interpreted as the crocodile’s tail and the other as the snout, although both are undecorated. There is some weathering on the curved surface of the piece, showing lighter coloring underneath the dark brown finish. Platters such as this are often carved for ceremonial purposes in Asmat society. When the practice of headhunting was commonplace, they were often used to serve the brains of enemies killed in headhunting raids, as it was believed that the brains held fertility essence. Many platters of this kind are carved in the likeness of canoes to demonstrate the interconnectedness of Asmat individuals with their canoes and the essential role that the crafts play in society. Crocodiles are also common artistic staples in Asmat culture, as they are common in the rainforests. Colors: Brown, Black |
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| 3 | 2000.2.41 | Carving, ancestor | This is a wooden Asmat ancestor carving depicting three individuals positioned on top of one another. The entire piece is unpainted and is made of dark dense wood with a dark brown finish. The figures are of ambiguous sex, as they all lack the characteristic features of Asmat art which differentiate genders. The bottom figure is standing with knees bent and arms holding a large wedge which connects with the ground and their chest. The two upper figures are embracing and are positioned above the lower figure’s head. The right upper figure is larger than the left upper figure. The upper left figure has their head turned to their right facing away from the upper right figure. Pieces such as these are usually carved in the image of ancestors of the artist who created them. They are used for a variety of purposes, some practical and some ceremonial. Ancestor reverence plays an important role in Asmat society, as the spirits of the deceased are believed to have a tangible impact on the natural world. Once carvings such as this have fulfilled their intended purpose, they are often discarded in the rainforest so that their spirits may rejuvenate the sago trees. Colors: Brown, Black |
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| 4 | 2000.2.43 | Carving, ancestor | This is a wooden Asmat ancestral carving which originally formed a part of a bis pole. The majority of the piece is unpainted, with remnants of white and red paint around the accented physical features. The depiction is of a single human figure of ambiguous sexual identification. It features the characteristic breast carvings of female designs, but also features a distinctly phallic carving at the waist. The figure is in a standing position with legs spread apart and feet facing forwards. The arms are relaxed with hands in front of the hips. The right hand is attached to the waist by the thumb and index finger, but the left hand is not. The face of the individual is very stoic. It features a jutting nose with a pierced nostril, closed mouth, sunken eyes, and subtle brow. The hair is jutting above the head and the ears are very detailed. The curved lines found on the body and limbs suggest stylized muscle definition as found in many Asmat carvings. The pinky toe on the figure’s right foot is missing. This was likely once part of a larger bis pole used for funerary services for deceased members of Asmat communities. It would stand either on the shoulders of another carved figure or implanted in the ground, with other decorative features supported with it. Poles of this kind were erected for various purposes. The most prominent would be to serve as calmers of deceased spirits while revenge was undertaken on their behalf. Death in Asmat society was never natural; it was always believed to be the work of enemy headhunting or sorcery. In order to restore the spiritual imbalance created by death, headhunting raids would be undertaken as vengeance. Until the raid was complete and balance restored, bis poles would stand outside the home of the deceased to calm the spirits. Once its function was fulfilled, the carvings would be discarded in the rainforest so that their spirits would rejuvenate the sago trees. Bis poles were always carved in the image of ancestors of the carver or of the deceased individual, as part of larger ancestor reverence in Asmat culture. Colors: Brown, Black |
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| 5 | 2000.2.50 | Carving, ancestor | This is a wooden Asmat ancestor carving depicting a single human figure in a standing position. The entire piece is unpainted and is carved from dark red wood with no visible grain. The finish on the carving is dark brown, but has faded around the front surfaces to a light brown. The human figure depicted is female and features a single arm and leg in front of the body. The single arm extends from the middle of the thigh to the bottom of the chin, with a four-fingered hand. The back of the leg features a carved line indicating a stylistic depiction of two legs pressed closely together. The entire body is decorated with curved lines set into the wood, depicting stylized muscle definition. The right side of the torso features 9 such lines, while the left features only 8. The face of the figure is very simple and has little definition. Each cheek features four downward facing “V” carvings, perhaps depicting ears. The nose is pierced all the way through the nostril. The mouth is small and the eyes are very simply carved. The feet at the bottom of the piece are pointed in a wedge to serve as an anchor for planting it in soft mud. Carvings such as this are typically produced in reverence of ancestors or other deceased relatives, and are often carved by the descendant of the deceased themselves. In many societies, they are made in tandem with bis poles to place outside the home of a deceased Asmat individual until their death is avenged by headhunting. After ceremonial occasions and occasions such as this, carvings are often discarded in the rainforest so that the spirits which inhabit them may rejuvenate the sago trees. Colors: Brown, Black |
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| 6 | 2000.2.75 | Carving, ancestor | Seated male human figure, hoined elbows and knees, legs/ arms spread. Seated on sieries of three cuscus figures atop second human figure, on hands and knees (upside down). Outline made up of hornbill figure carved details pigmented red. Areas on bird and human faces and male figure genitals pigmented black. Color: BR,RD,BK |
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| 7 | 2000.2.86 | Platter | This is a wooden Asmat carving featuring a male and female human figures with a vessel in the middle of them. The entire piece is unpainted and is carved from dark brown wood. The lower figure is female based on the characteristic carving between the legs, and the upper figure is male based on the same category. They both feature similar designs, with curved lines across the abdomen and limbs representing muscle definition. Between their legs is a round vessel with pointed ends. The vessel forms a bowl structure with a coiled snake in the middle. It is unlikely that this piece served as any kind of practical eating utensil and was likely ceremonial or decorative in nature. The combination of human and snake forms may represent ideas of fertility and interconnectedness that the Asmat felt with the natural world. Colors: Brown, Black |
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| 8 | 2000.2.92 | Carving, ancestor | 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 |
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