Feb 21, 2024
Bird Head
Papua New Guinea, Morobe province, Date unknown
Discovered by chance while gardening or rooted up by foraging pigs, such stone images are regarded by contemporary Highland peoples as the work of spirits. Endowed with powerful magic, the ancient images are reused in a number of ritual contexts, including hunting and farming magic, healing, and deadly forms of sorcery. The red ocher pigment on the surface of this example was probably applied in historic times, when the object was reused in a contemporary ritual context.
