Mortar
ClassificationsTools and Equipment-mortars
Datedate unknown
Made AtEnga Province, Papua New Guinea
MediumStone
Dimensions7 1/2 × 14 in. (19.1 × 35.6 cm)
Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih
Object number2003.49.1
DescriptionMost artifacts in New Guinea serve a utilitarian function, like this ancient mortar which was most likely used to grind up foods. But this particular object is unique, with a human face carved into the front. Beautiful in its minimalistic design, it lends a simple strength to the artistic qualities of the object.Stone objects date back to the earliest inhabitants of Melanesia, growing in specialization over time with the evolution of practices like agriculture and hunting. Mortars, pestles, and ceremonial objects that might be hundreds or thousands of years old are rediscovered with some frequency, especially during construction or from tilling soil, and are used or instilled with a newfound spiritual significance. Utilitarian stone tools tend to be undecorated, but pieces created for ceremonial purposes are highly refined—painstakingly pecked and ground to create figurative or abstract geometric forms.
On View
On viewCollections
1500 BCE - 1600 CE
1500 BCE - 1600 CE
20th Century
before 20th Century
Prehistoric
mid 20th Century
early to mid 20th Century
mid 20th Century
20th Century
20th Century