Over-Modeled Skull
ClassificationsSculpture
Culture
Iatmul
Date20th Century
Made AtEast Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
MediumHuman skull, clay, pigment, shell and human hair
Dimensions5 7/8 × 5 7/8 × 7 15/16 in. (14.9 × 14.9 × 20.2 cm)
Credit LineDonated by Rear Admiral Ralph and Sara Garrison
Object number99.43.9
DescriptionOver-modeled skulls played a function in the remembering of ancestors and preservation of a clan's origin. The skulls of the founding members of a clan were kept and displayed alongside other ancestors of the family. Using clay, pigment, shells, and human hair, a craftsmand transformed the skull white skeletal form into a realistic likeness of the deceased. This was done after the body was decomposed and bureid for variable amounts of time. In the Iatmul culture, white designs painted on the skulls indicated the ancestor was male, and black designs signaled the ancestor as female. The Iatmul were well regarded for their skill in rendering easily recognizable images of the deceased individual.On View
On viewCollections
20th Century
20th Century
19th Century
18th to 19th Century
