Papua New Guinea

CARVED BONE SPATULA, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea good condition

CARVED BONE SPATULA, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea good condition
CARVED BONE SPATULA, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea good condition
CARVED BONE SPATULA, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea good condition
CARVED BONE SPATULA, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea good condition

CARVED BONE SPATULA, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea good condition

Sepik River, Papua New Guinea. This bone is the leg bone of a cassowary. It is finely carved to be a utensil, to take lime from a container to the mouth, when eating betel nut.

The top of the spatula is a bird beak, (probably a cockatoo), a clan motif. In ceremony they are decorated beautifully with tassles, shells and feathers. Size: 20.9 cm (length).
CARVED BONE SPATULA, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea good condition