Rare & Superb Carved & Painted New Guinea Highlands Barbed Fighting Arrow
Rare & Superb Carved & Painted New Guinea Highlands Barbed Fighting Arrow
Origin: New Guinea, Kainantu area at the eastern end of PNG's
Eastern Highlands Province (Provenance: Ex. collection of Roy Hamilton, Reno Nevada)
Period/Date: Circa 1940's
Materials: wood, natural pigments, rattan, orchid stem fiber
Description: This superbly carved arrow has black and red painted decoration and is presented on a custom base. It features sixteen rows of four impressively carved pointed barbs which are graduated in size. The arrow is typical two piece construction with the barbed section fitted into the hollowed reed shaft. In good condition with just two chipped barbs, amazing considering how sharp and fragile they are. One of the most handsome examples I've seen.
David Skinner who wrote "Arrows of Melanesia - a neglected art form" in The World of Tribal Arts Summer 2000 said the following:
This arrow is from the Kainantu area at the eastern end of PNG's
Eastern Highlands Province, a region renowned for the quality
and variety of its arrows and the skill of its bowmen. I think it
might be from the Gadsup language group, judging by the dots
on the head and that it is made from hardwood and not the
more common blackpalm.
Dimensions: Height 30” (76 cm), width 7/8” (2.5 cm)
sold