Sepik River Region, PNG

Three old daggers, carved from the leg bone of a cassowary, each with a patina acquired over generations of use. Traditionally used in warfare, but also ceremonially worn in a woven upper armband.

a) From Kaup village, at the mouth of the Sepik River. These are instantly recognised as the work of one artist in Kaup several generations ago. Usually a bird head, with carved rings below.

b) Abelam dagger, with essentially geometric engraving. The double circles can represent an ancestral being.A hint of red paint.

c) Abelam dagger, with essentially geometric engraving, with a face at the top, and lower motifs suggesting ancestor figures.

a) 40 x 5 cm
b) 35 x 5 cm
c) 35 x 5 cm