Asmat Decorative Shield (Medium – Ancestor Figure Top)

Asmat decorative shield made of carved and stained mangrove wood. Ancestral figures ornament on the top, the turtles symbolize fertility. Made in Sawa Erma, Agats district, Papua. The shield is originally protection from both physical and spiritual power of the enemy. Front of the shield is carved in high relief. They include symbols of wild boar tusks or bones, flying foxes, the tails of tree kangaroos, whirlpools. Some symbols are believed to be so powerful that just by seeing these symbols, the enemy will flee in terror or be immobilized in fear.

Asmat Tribe, Papua
Around 1980s

Material: Hand-carved and stained mangrove wood
Dimension: 67 x 31 x 0,4 cm
Weight: 1,5 kg