Malagan marratampirivit overmodelled skull
Papua New Guinea, New Ireland
Early 19th century
Human skull, mastic Parinarium laurinum, vegetable matter, shell (Cypraea tigris), operculum of Turbo petholatus, pigments. H 20 cm
Acquired from Arthur Speyer in 1924
MEG Inv. ETHOC 010205
Notice
When a man died, his skull was overmodelled and painted and then displayed during ceremonies. The fixed stare of the eyes, using the "cat's eyes" of Turbo petholatus shells, is a reminder that these skulls were "assembled to frighten," the literal translation of their name.
This work is regarded by specialists as extraordinary.
Bibliography
- Colombo Dougoud, Roberta. 2014. Les collections Océanie. In: Regards sur les collections. Genève: Musée d'ethnographie de Genève, 228-229
- Gunn, Michael et Philippe Peltier (dir.). 2007. Nouvelle-Irlande. Arts du Pacifique Sud. Paris: Musée du quai Branly, 5 Continents
- Derlon, Brigitte. 1997. De mémoire et d'oubli. Anthropologie des objets malanggan de Nouvelle-Irlande. Paris, CNRS Éditions/Éditions de la Maison des sciences de l'homme
© 2015 Musée d'ethnographie, Genève
Ville de Genève, Département de la culture et du sport