Eastern Asmat shield

[Tim Simmons]

This is rather an indulgence at the moment but I think it was a real bargain { you can pm for the price if you are interested}. It has yet to arrive. Not the oldest shield in the world. I am told it is 1970s, which I belive is quite respectable when collecting shields especially from the foothills. I have a shield {forum swap} that appears some decades older which from my book studies seems to be also from the Eastern Asmat. They tend to be smaller both 147cm tall. The new one is quite a bit wider 37cm where as the one I have already is 27cm wide. The new one may not look as old but is in much better condition. I does have more wear that I will show when I have it. The handle is most interesting and I post an illustration from "Shields of Melanesia, University of Hawaii press" Although not early it does look to have been carved, from the back view anyway, with traditional stone adze or bone chisels, indicated by the soft scalloped cuts to the wood. Watching youtube Papuan documentaries some parts of Papua or still very much like the wild west in all ways. Perhap we could have a shield brain storm?

[Tim Simmons]

Some very cool information can be found by exploring a collection of short Australian Museum videos here.

http://australianmuseum.net.au/movie...from-Mendi-PNG

[Sajen]

Hi Tim,

nice shield you have bought! Please post pictures from the handle and from the front carvings when you have received it. Quality signs are deep front carvings and age is shown by rounded edges from the front carvings. Do you have bought it from a netherlands seller?

Regards,

Detlef

[asomotif]

Hello Tim,

Finally an Asmat shield http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=asmat+shield

Nice shield with a motif I have not seen before.
Do you have info what this motif is ?

Surely not an "H" , the motif will probably be the shape surrounding the "H" I pressume.

Best regards,
Willem

[Tim Simmons]

I think if you have no idea what a letter ( H ) is and cannot read anyway. The design is probably read as both the red and the White, the purpose is to dazele the design seems to pulse at a glance. One is caught between the red and then the White. Just registering the White it becomes quite compliex. The basic layout of the design is very similar to the shield shown from " Shields of Melanesia". I got this shield here in the UK.

[Mytribalworld]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

I think if you have no idea what a letter ( H ) is and cannot read anyway. The design is probably read as both the red and the White, the purpose is to dazele the design seems to pulse at a glance. One is caught between the red and then the White. Just registering the White it becomes quite compliex. The basic layout of the design is very similar to the shield shown from " Shields of Melanesia". I got this shield here in the UK.

Hi Tim,

I think your shield is indeed around the 70's and the double H can possibly read as "Heilig Hart" or in english " sacred heart"
The mission was very active around the 70 to encourage the Asmat carvers to pick up their old carving traditions. The Asmat sometimes mixed up Roman Catholic symbols in their carvings.
I wil list a pic of an Asmatpanel in my collection.

Arjan

[Mytribalworld]

on this panel what is carved in the shape of a church window they placed a Sacred Heart cross on top. However a different carving the basic idea is the same as with your shield.

Arjan

[Tim Simmons]

Thats most interesting Arjan. I have to say I see a far more vibrant design on my new shield. I have read that headhunting raids broke out at times into the 80s and later.

[Tim Simmons]

While some of us are in Papua and waiting for my new shield I thought I might show this axe. Aquired after wasting good money on a tourist axe. It too appears to have had some decades of use. All reference I have to this type of axe is as a wood spliting axe? You could split my head with it no trouble. Imagine it crashing through collar bone or sternum.

[Tim Simmons]

Its here and I love it. Best buy for many a year. Straight from thier wall to mine. How handy to come with a hanging hook. I like the way the artist has carved with the hard spots of the wood. I like the curves like ones in the book.

[Tim Simmons]

I have just aquired a fascinating book

"The Dugum dani, Karl G Heider, 1970 Aldine Publishing Company Chicago"

I am posting a picture of what is known as ritual war, in other words an organised and arranged war which is quite different from a raid. In a ritual war, status can be found by the killing of an enemy but there is a sportive element to this form of conflict so fatalities tend to be few. This picture was taken in the early 1960s in the period of Dutch and Indonesian pacification. Later in 1966 there was a ghastly raid including the use of bush knives, over 120 deaths, all sexes and ages. So even late into the late 20th century traditional tribal conflict would breakout in the places off the beaten track as soon as patrols slackened. Thinking of the pacification of the Asmat. It is a vast region of related people not one event to one tribe called the Asmat. each side in the picture probably know who is to be killed and any others are just a bonus.