Lot 84D
Indonesia, western Irian Jaya, Asmat people, ca. mid 20th century CE. A drum made from light wood, with a lizard skin drum head. The drum has an hourglass shape and an elaborately-carved, openwork handle projecting from one side. Avian, lizard, and primate motifs decorate the handle, and the body is carved in relief to resemble dense foliage over a background, with well-rendered human figures interspersed. The bird figures on the handle are meant to represent great hornbills, who are fruit-eating birds. In Asmat lore, fruit represents a man's head, making the hornbill a symbol of headhunting. The lizard skin drum head (made from monitor lizard) is grey-white and secured using tightly bound rattan. These drums traditionally have been made from a variety of local woods, and come in many forms - some dramatically carved like this one, others painted bright colors. They are made through a complex process of hand-carving and burning that has been repeated for centuries. When in use, blobs of wax, honey, or coal tar are sometimes put onto the skin to alter the drum's sound; you can see evidence for this on this example. Size: 6.25" L x 10.5" W x 34" H (15.9 cm x 26.7 cm x 86.4 cm)
Provenance: private Santa fe, new Mexico, USA collection
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#122435
- Condition: Light signs of wear, with a few small cracks in the wood. Darker patina from touch on the handles and immediately below the drum head.
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