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?