Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 2005-0006-0016   CAS 2005-0006-0016; Carving (hook figure)
Category Carvings
Object Name Carving (hook figure)
Culture Melanesian
Global Region Oceania
Country Papua New Guinea
State/Prov./Dist.
County
Other Geographic Data Sepik River area; Village: Slei
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. mid 1900s
Collection Name N/A
Materials Wood; Natural pigments
Description Hook figure carved from single piece of wood in the form of a standing nude male figure with his arms folded and his hands on his chest, standing atop a U-shaped hook; Figure's broad, flat face has well defined eyes, nose and mouth with distended tongue; Most of the face is painted with a gray-white pigment with a negative circular design on each cheek and the mouth outlined in reddish brown, while the body is painted all over with random gray-white and reddish brown dots.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 60.7, Width = 18.7, Depth = 8.5