Anthropology Artifacts Collection | Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections

Collection Overview

Title: Anthropology Artifacts Collection

ID: WC-Anth/Main

Extent: 0.0

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The anthropology artifacts collection contains a wide range of items that document the material culture from around the world and was received as gifts. The artifact descriptions were created from existing information created near the time of acquisition as well as research conducted by students.

Box and Folder Listing

Item 2: 122M95 -- [artifact name unknown]

A very ornate carving of a human figure with a mask on its forehead and extensive and intricate peripheral decorations. Has "200" written inside its concave back.

Additional Information: Reptile Gardens n.d.. Jungle Outpost Gallery. Accessed October 2006. http://www.reptile gardens.com/outpostgalleryih.html.

Stewart, Gloria n.d.. [1972]. Introduction to Sepik Art of Papua New Guinea. Melbourne: Tripart Marketing Pty. Ltd.

References Cited: Kaeppler, Adrienne L., Christian Kaumann, and Douglas Newton 1997 [1993]. Oceanic Art, translated by Nora Scott and Sabine Bouladon with collaboration of Fiona Leibrick. New York: Harry N. Abrams Incorporated Publishers.

Leigh, Carolyn n.d.. Art Pacific Guide to Sepik River Carvings. Accessed September 2006. http://www.art pacific.com/artifacts/nuguinea/sepikriv/sepikmrv.htm.

Meyer, Anthony J. P. 1996 [1995]. Oceanic Art, Vol. 1. Edison, NJ: Knickerbocker Press.

Culture: Anggor

Culture Area: Sepik Ramu cultural linguistic area

Date Acquired: [Unknown]

Dimensions: 125 cm tall

Donor: [Unknown]

General Area of the World: Oceania, Papua New Guinea

Material: Wood, woven rattan matting, cassowary feathers, bilum string, and dye (Red clay, white lime, black charcoal)

Outline of Cultural Materials Code: 531, 532

Outline of World Cultures Code: [undetermined]

Use and Background: This carved figures shows extensive stylistic similarities with the figure 122M88 and another unmarked carving. This style of carving originated from the dream of a carver named Billy Kitten, but it is now used by many carvers in the village of Angoram. According to Anggor culture, any man who has a certain type of dream must produce a carving of this style or risk being tormented by a malicious spirit. When the figure is complete, the carver must host an expensive ceremony for it. Because the carving is connected with a malicious spirit, its maker will often attempt to sell it however, its cost must reflect the cost of the ceremony, or the man will lose face. Similar practices occur in other tribal groups in the Sepik region as well (Leigh N. d.). A few stylistic markers for this type of carving are the blakbokis (fruit bat, flying fox) motif (Leigh N. d.), the rattan woven matting on its back, the way that the figure holds the staff/nose attached to the mask, the arching designs above the mask, and the smaller human figures and faces incorporated throughout the design. This figure is more intricate than the other two similar figures owned by Wheaton College but less intricate than one documented by Leigh (N. d.). It has a total of seven miniature figures and faces carved into it, not counting the mask portion of the carving or the face beneath the mask. The mask demonstrates the long nose of a Sambero (Anggor spirit mask) (Meyer 1996, Kaeppler, Kaumann, and Newton 1997). These masks are worn during ceremonial celebrations of the acts of the ancestors (Kaeppler, Kaumann, and Newton 1997), and similar depictions used to represent the ancient clan fathers in relief carvings (Meyer 1996). Thus, this carving represents a clan ancestor, especially one of the clan fathers. The "200" marked on this carving most likely indicates the price for which it was purchased from a tribal art dealer.