Jamasji (war shield)
prior to 1971
Five symbols of headhunting are deeply carved into this vivid shield. "Ainor," the Asmat symbol of headhunting, resembles a headless human torso with arms curled up at the sides. At the top of the shield is a fully carved ancestor figure known as tsjemen (translated as "penis"). In 1971, a German researcher photographed this shield at the Asmat Art Shop in Agats, the predecessor for the Museum of Culture and Progress that still exists today.
Wood, lime, clay and charcoal
75 1/2 x 16 x 3 1/2 in. (191.77 x 40.64 x 8.89 cm)
Gift of Mark Groudine and Cynthia Putnam
97.60
