Shields

Portraits of Ancestors 

Asmat shields gave more than physical protection. Enlivened with incantations and white mineral lime powder prior to a raid, their vivid designs were meant to intimidate opponents by disorienting them with their dazzling visual power. Each shield was carved from the flat root of a mangrove tree and named after an ancestor important to the owner (often depicted at the work’s top, or “head”). References to headhunting stud the surface, conveying attributes of strength and martial prowess that empowered its owner. Favored motifs include the curved bi pane (nose ornaments) worn by warriors, or the wings of the flying fox, a bat known to pluck the “head” from trees to sustain itself.