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Staff finial |
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| Milne Bay Province, Northern Massim, Papua New Guinea Early 20th Century Wood Height: 10.5 cm. Provenance: Michel Thieme, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Private Collection, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Probably carved for a ritual staff from which it was later removed. The Janus form is common to Massim art, often found on lime spatulas. Ritual staffs were used in some areas of the Trobriands in healing rites and magic. The human images adorning the tops of the staffs may have served as temporary residing places for spirits who assisted the owner in their rites. | |||||||||||
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