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Mortar, early 20th Century
Unrecorded Ifugao artist; Luzon Island, Philippines
Wood; 13 × 15 …
Mortar
Mortar, early 20th Century
Unrecorded Ifugao artist; Luzon Island, Philippines
Wood; 13 × 15 …
Mortar, early 20th Century Unrecorded Ifugao artist; Luzon Island, Philippines Wood; 13 × 15 1/2 × 13 in. 2021.7.15 Anonymous Gift

Mortar

ClassificationsTools and Equipment-mortars
Culture Ifugao
Dateearly 20th Century
Made AtPhilippines, Asia
MediumWood
Dimensions13 × 15 1/2 × 13 in. (33 × 39.4 × 33 cm)
Credit LineAnonymous Gift
Object number2021.7.15
DescriptionThis object is a wooden mortar from the northern island of Luzon in the Phillippines. Mortars are common to cultures across the world due to their efficiency at pulverizing foods, pigments, and more. The multitude of minimlistically carved human faces carved on this mortar are a common feature in the Philippine highlands. The various cultures in the area believe in a complex and extensive world of spirits who can inhabit natural objects or phenomena and affect the outcomes of everyday activities such as food production. As such, anthropomorphic designs representing supernatual beings can be found adorning items made for ritual use as well as everyday objects such as this one.
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