Papua New Guinea - Skull Rack

A carved wood Agiba (skull rack), Kerewa People, PNG. The sculpture is carved from a single piece of local hardwood and decorated with natural red, white, and black pigments. It features a highly stylized, two-dimensional human form with an oversized head, prominent circular eyes, and incised chevron or geometric patterns detailing the body. 13" x 7" . Provenance: Ex. Gilbert Jackson collection. These flat, stylized anthropomorphic boards were used to display the human skulls of ancestors or defeated enemies. The skulls were suspended from the vertical prongs or hooks at the base of the rack using loops of rattan or cane. The agiba symbolized the martial prowess and vitality of a clan. It represented a protective ancestral spirit (imunu) that was believed to reveal its likeness to a senior carver in a dream.

Condition
Very good