Image: Breast ornament, Papua New Guinea E21680
Provenance: Kaiserin Augusta River, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, Pacific
This ornate breast ornament was reportedly taken from a captured head man or chief. The Museum acquired the ornament in 1913.
Description: circle of nine white cowrie shells surrounding two concentric circles of small, flat, white nassa shells attached to a circular base of woven natural fibre; woven fibre coloured with red and black coloured gum with a rim of short red feathers; round base has two curved strips of small shells; two pairs of curved pig tusks suspended below circular base at both sides of strips; below tusks are three suspended strings of multi-coloured glass beads; at end of each string a darkbrown crescent-shaped seed and teeth.
Height: 4cm; Length: 41cm; Width: 20cm
- Photographer:
- Emma Furno
- Rights:
- © Australian Museum
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