ASMAT war shield from Asmat Region in Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea

Here is the second of my ASMAT war shields that I bought from the Asmat Region in Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. This shield measures approximately 167cm high and is 54cm wide. Depth ranges from 1.5cm to 2cm. It is decorated/painted in original pigment from the Asmat region. There is a handle on the back. The shield has not been changed since the day it was bought. The shield is an original war shield from the Asmat region of Irian Jaya. The Asmat tribe is the most famous cannibalistic tribe on Papua, a province of Indonesia. The war shield is a powerful symbolic element of a warriors equipment and has many layers of meaning. The designs were intended to frighten the enemy and symbolise the power of the ancestors. Although the shields were seen by all the deepest meanings were only understood by initiated men. Please see my other listings, relating to other Asmat art, more to be added. This item is in the category "Antiques\Ethnographic Antiques\Oceanian/Australasian". The seller is "silburyman" and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped to United Kingdom.

Primary Material: Wood
Antique: Yes
Original/ Repro: Original
Product: Shield
Region of Origin: Oceanian/ Australasian
Age: Post-1940