A MANGROVE WOOD SHIELD ''VASEM''

Description:

Papua Selatan (New Guinea West, Central, Republic of Indonesia), Asmat
H. 143 cm
A vaguely pointed oval shield vasem of the Asmat from Papua Selatan. The upper part ends in a widened, cap-like attachment, which is recognisable as a stylised face. In the centre is a mouth with the corners of the mouth pulled down, next to which the round eyes and earlobes can be seen on both sides. As the shield is perceived as the owner's alter ego, this design makes sense. The wider, lower part is rounded at the base. The lower side is provisionally placed on the ground during combat and ceremonial acts, which is why vasem are always "foot-heavy". The front view (facing the opponent) is carved in deep relief with abstract, symmetrical forms and painted in ochre and lime. The raised bars are coloured black with organic soot (faded). The hook-like motifs are interpreted as a grouping of abstract crouching human figures or their limbs, which are victims of ritualised headhunting or ancestors of the wearer. The shield is ritually notched along the edges. Some of the deceased's shields were ritually damaged during burial ceremonies. The reverse side is undecorated. Shields of this type were once carried during tribal feuds for the purpose of ritual headhunting. When not in use, they are stored in men's houses and are highly respected as representatives of the owners and their clans. They are always made from one piece and usually have an integral handle on the back. During fights, they are sometimes placed on the ground due to their size. Some of the attack weapons are elaborate spears (jukaim, fum), clubs and daggers made from human bones and hurled with throwing boards. The motifs, which are always associated with ancestor worship, can in part be traced back to mainland Austronesian archetypes (inner-Asian animal style) and, according to some interpretations, represent a mythical primordial village or the path of the initiate to the world beyond and back. They have partial equivalents in eastern Indonesia (Maluku). The material culture of the hunting and fishing Asmat is characterised by elaborate carvings and a mastery in the processing of organic materials. Everyday and ritual objects are decorated with meaningful ornaments. These include paddles, bumpers, shields and spears, as well as canoes, which guide the souls of the deceased into the ocean, and ancestral poles. The nibung palm (digging sticks, bows, arrowheads, spears), mangroves (construction timber and battle shields) and the nipa palm (mats and elements for roofing) are used as tools.
From an old German private collection, acquired in the 1980s - Partially traces of age and slightly chipped