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| Title | Asmat Sculpture |
| Description | Wood; This sculpture may be from this area of Indonesia. (The slant of the eyes are not correct. They may indicate that the sculpture is from an area closer to China.) Asmat is probably the most well-known tribe in Papua (formerly called Irian Jaya). They became famous not only through their head-hunting practices in the past, but also because of their unique ideas and wonderful designs in woodcarving, which is considered among the world's finest. To the Asmat, woodcarving was inextricably connected with the spirit world, and therefore, the carving cannot just be principally considered aesthetic objects. Much of the highly original art of the Asmat is symbolic of warfare, headhunting, and warrior-ancestor veneration. For centuries the Asmat were preoccupied with the necessity of appeasing ancestor spirits, producing a wealth of superbly designed shields, canoes, sculptured figures, and drums. |
| Rights | Giertz Education Center @ the Krannert Art Museum |
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