Sago Bowl #8

All the items that are listed here are vintage from the 1980s so they are not in absolute MINT condition. They are second-hand and come with wear commensurate with age. Please refer to the photos for detailed item descriptions.

This is a softwood carving from the mid to late 1980s (purchased in 1989 in Agats, Papua, Indonesia). It is 80 centimeters (31 inches) in length; the width at the center of the bowl is 8 centimeters. This is a very light carving because of the soft wood used in its creation.

This is a food bowl, often called a sago bowl as sago is the main food for the Asmat. But, these types of bowls can be used for other types of food. In terms of daily use, the wooden bowls are not much in fashion these days, as they have been replaced by metal or plastic. The designs on the bottom of the bowl are the shell nosepieces that Asmat men wore. This is a very common design. The three traditional colors of Asmat woodcarving are used on this artifact. An ancestor head is on the top of the bowl. Tobias Schneebaum has noted that originally the head was turned the other way, so that when a person was eating from the bowl, they could see the face of the ancestor while they ate. Foreigners thought that the head should be face up on the bottom of the bowl where the interesting designs are, so Asmat carvers made that accommodation to practicality.

Bowls were sometimes used in the past headhunting days for the brains of a victim. Old bowls might also be used for paint.

This bowl is well-preserved for its age and is an excellent example of Asmat bowl carving.

Price USD 125 or 1,750,000 Indonesian Rupiah. Reasonable offers will be considered.