Ethnical Items from Indonesia.

[Dom]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello Dom,

glad that this time I can be for help!

The bone dagger is indeed from Tanimbar and was used for killing pigs by ceremonies.

The skull is from the Gelvinck Bay (old dutch name, now Cenderwasih Bay, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cenderawasih_Bay) and is called Korvar and normally much bigger and carved from wood. Normally they where used to keep anchestral skulls, so only the bottom part are from wood and in up there have been a human skull. The picture I have attached shows a orang utan skull. But they were carved as well complete from wood and kept in caves. Real old ones are very expensive. Small ones like yours was kept as amulets.

Both of your items seems recent to my eyes!

Regards,

Detlef

and your eyes are very sharp ... yes, these two items are new
but as may be you know; "to horse offered, looks no teeth"
it's a present, doesn't matter the value, only the gesture and the intention, are important

Sajen, may you tell me, if under the ouran-utan scull, the support it's not a "barava" ?
my brother is back in France with a collection of at least of 10, each one more beautiful than the other,
it's a terrific job that to carve these fossil shell, it's very fine

this forum is very pleasant, we always found every time somebody,
who knows the answers to our questions,
thanks Sajen, for your help
as, thanks for Vandoo, to have bring his expertise

à +

Dom