Iatmul skull
Iatmul skull overmoddeled with clay and human hair
NOTE: According to some experts (this is not my specialty) it could also be a
New Hebrides Vanuatu
Skull , what is your opinion?
price: not available anymore
Iatmul
skull information
request of availability
H=18cm large:23cm
Provenance: Jan Ceusters family estate, pre-1970
materials: skull, clay, human hair
This clay over-modeled Iatmul skull of a woman is quite expressive.
The Iatmul people of Papua New Guinea believe that the head contains
all the substance of the being. For this reason, they keep the skulls of their
ancestors, which once overmodelled with clay and then painted, become familiar
spirits and protectors of the community.
The skull over-modeledwith clay in this episode was part of a Dutch
collection. This artifact commands our respect not only by the delicacy of
its workmanship but also because it evokes the mystery of death. The
ethnologist, Milan Stanek lived amongst the Iatmul people for several years.
One of the Iatmul ideas associates swirling rivers and all uncertain forms to
the residence of spirits. The skulls are used as part of the houses construction
and part of the ritual consist of over-modeling the ancestor skull with clay, on
the banks of the Sepik River. The different facets of this skull are thus
revealed, so referring to our own conception of death and memories of the
deceased.
look at the back of this skull, you'll see i is a very old crane brown from
color (not white anymore) usually a good sign of aging.
The skulls of a clan's founding ancestors are often kept and displayed, as are
those of family ancestors. The skull of a person with a strong face or a good
nose may also be overmodeled like this one.
image below : Ceremonial House,
Kanganaman Village c. 1930 with ancestral
skulls in the four small openings.
Bibliography: Iatmul
pdf
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