Oceanic: Papua-New Guinea. Middle Sepik River. Model Cult House. Bamboo, rattan, dried fungus or seed, fiber, traces of pigm...

Description

Oceanic: Papua-New Guinea
Middle Sepik River
Model Cult House
Bamboo, rattan, dried fungus or seed, fiber, traces of pigment
Height: 27 inches Width: 17 ½ inches Length: 30 inches

This carefully made and detailed model shows one form of cult house found along the middle area of the Sepik river and its tributaries. Of particular interest are the gable masks at the top of each end façade, in which the development of the nose and eyes shows the great skill reached in the basketry arts. The large nose ornaments and spherical pendants complete the explicit rendering of this key guardian element of most ceremonial houses. The houses were raised on stilts both to enhance their impressiveness and to keep them from danger in the seasonal flooding. Exactly why these exacting models were made is ambiguous, though from a relatively early date some model objects were made for barter with Western traders.
In addition to pigment loss, one corner is missing the fried fungus spheres and braided chain. The rattan weave has minor cracks and breaks.
Provenance:
TAD Tribal Art and Design (Taylor A. Dale), Santa Fe
Gary Hendershott, Little Rock



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