Yam Ancestor Figure TOTEM Pole Papua New Guinea with Provenance

Details

Description

A yam ancestor TOTEM pole from the mid-Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea. Carved out of a solid wood … Read more A yam ancestor TOTEM pole from the mid-Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea. Carved out of a solid wood by the Abelam people, who cultivated yams as their main crop, the pole features the classical form of the Yam ancestor in his frontal pose. It was painted with bright polychrome colors. The wear and patina suggest that it was field collected from the native use. It is likely dated circa 1940s-1950s.
This figure was exhibited in Traditional Artifacts from the South Pacific, University Gallery, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Nov-Dec 1991. A picture of it was included in the catalog brochure.
A copy of the brochure and the photo with the piece is shown in detail photos and will be included with the purchase. No stand. See less