DU06 Rare Korwar with Ancestor Skull Cenderawasih Bay Northwest New Guinea
$4,850.00
Item # . DU06
Description . Rare Korwar 20th Century probably from Cenderawasih Bay. The Korwar were made by the peoples of North West New Guinea and they served as vessels for the spirits of the dead. They acted as intermediaries between the living and the ancestors, used for guidance, protection, and sometimes divination.. When a person died their family would have a special carver/priest fashion a wooden figure to contain the descendants soul for when the family needed to consult the ancestor about major decisions. The wooden carvings had stylized human features and sometimes held objects or contained a skull in a cavity or within the figure itself. The use of skulls incorporated into the sculpture was banned by the Dutch Government in the capital Biak at the start of the 1900’s. This piece was collected in the 1950’s complete with the Ancestor skull. These days it is extremely rare for Korwar to be found in Papua New Guinea. A similar example holding a shield is to be found in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Size .38cm H * 17cm W (15″ H * 7″ W)
Price USD$4,850
