Description:

A MANGROVE WOOD SHIELD ''VASEM''
Papua Selatan (New Guinea West, Central, Republic of Indonesia), Asmat
H. 143 cm
A vaguely pointed oval shield vasem of the Asmat from Papua Selatan. The upper part ends in a widened, cap-like attachment, which is recognisable as a stylised face. In the centre is a mouth with the corners of the mouth pulled down, next to which the round eyes and earlobes can be seen on both sides. As the shield is perceived as the owner's alter ego, this design makes sense. The wider, lower part is rounded at the base. The lower side is provisionally placed on the ground during combat and ceremonial acts, which is why vasem are always "foot-heavy". The front view (facing the opponent) is carved in deep relief with abstract, symmetrical forms and painted in ochre and lime. The raised bars are coloured black with organic soot (faded). The hook-like motifs are interpreted as a grouping of abstract crouching human figures or their limbs, which are victims of ritualised headhunting or ancestors of the wearer. The shield is ritually notched along the edges. Some of the deceased's shields were ritually damaged during burial ceremonies. The reverse side is undecorated. Shields of this type were once carried during tribal feuds for the purpose of ritual headhunting. When not in use, they are stored in men's houses and are highly respected as representatives of the owners and their clans. They are always made from one piece and usually have an integral handle on the back. During fights, they are sometimes placed on the ground due to their size. Some of the attack weapons are elaborate spears (jukaim, fum), clubs and daggers made from human bones and hurled with throwing boards. The motifs, which are always associated with ancestor worship, can in part be traced back to mainland Austronesian archetypes (inner-Asian animal style) and, according to some interpretations, represent a mythical primordial village or the path of the initiate to the world beyond and back. They have partial equivalents in eastern Indonesia (Maluku). The material culture of the hunting and fishing Asmat is characterised by elaborate carvings and a mastery in the processing of organic materials. Everyday and ritual objects are decorated with meaningful ornaments. These include paddles, bumpers, shields and spears, as well as canoes, which guide the souls of the deceased into the ocean, and ancestral poles. The nibung palm (digging sticks, bows, arrowheads, spears), mangroves (construction timber and battle shields) and the nipa palm (mats and elements for roofing) are used as tools.
From an old German private collection, acquired in the 1980s - Partially traces of age and slightly chipped

Schild ''vasem '' aus Mangrovenholz
Papua Selatan (Neuguinea West-, Zentral-, Republik Indonesien), Asmat
H. 143 cm
Andeutungsweise spitz-ovaler Schild vasem der Asmat aus Papua Selatan. Der obere Teil läuft in einen verbreiterten, kappenartigen Aufsatz aus, der als stilisiertes Gesicht erkennbar ist. Zentral befindet sich Mund mit herabgezogenen Mundwinkeln, daneben erkennt man beidseitig die runden Augen und Ohrläppchen. Da der Schild als alter ego des Besitzers aufgefasst wird, ist diese Gestaltung sinnfällig. Der breitere, untere Teil ist basal gerundet. Die untere Seite wird bei Kampf- und Zeremonialhandlungen provisorisch auf den Boden gesetzt, weshalb vasem immer „fußlastig“ sind. Die vordere Ansicht (dem Gegner zugewandt) ist im tiefen Relief mit abstrakten, symmetrisch angelegten Formen beschnitzt und mit Ocker und Kalk gefasst. Die erhabenen Stege sind mit organischem Ruß schwarz gefärbt (verblasst). Die hakenartigen Motive werden als Gruppierung abstrahierter hockender Menschenfiguren bzw. Gliedmaßen derselben interpretiert, die Opfer der ritualisierten Kopfjagd oder Ahnen des Trägers sind. Der Schild ist entlang der Ränder rituell eingekerbt. Bei Bestattungsfeierlichkeiten wurden die Schilde des Verstorbenen teilweise ritue

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December 9, 2024 9:30 AM CET
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