Spear
ClassificationsArms and Armor-spears
Culture
Asmat
Datemid 20th Century
Collection SitePapua (Irian Jaya) Province, Indonesia
Made AtPapua (Irian Jaya) Province, Indonesia
MediumWood and pigment
Dimensions116 × 6 × 3 in. (294.6 × 15.2 × 7.6 cm)
Credit LineAnonymous Gift
Object number2017.10.98
DescriptionA dark brown wooden spear collected from the Papua Province (Irian Jaya) of Indonesia and dates back to the mid-20th century. The Asmat are well known for their intricately carved and elegantly adorned spears. Carved out of single piece of light wood this spear presents an openwork panel about a third of the way up the shaft. The panel features a repeating "x" pattern with incised coiled designs at the center--that may be a symbolic depiction of the cuscus tail. Two pairs of barbs found just under the spear top are aerodynamic in shape and are designed to accurately pierce the intended target. On View
Not on view
mid 19th - early 20th Century
20th Century
mid 19th - early 20th Century
mid 19th to early 20th Century
late 19th Century
