Ritual Object

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Origin Sepik River

Title Ritual Object

Date 19th–early 20th century

Medium Wood and pigment

Dimensions Object: 16 1/2 × 4 × 4 5/8 in. (41.9 × 10.2 × 11.7 cm)
Overall (includes mount): 17 1/2 × 4 × 5 in. (44.5 × 10.2 × 12.7 cm)

Credit Line Raymond and Laura Wielgus Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 2010.15

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About this Work

Much is still unknown about the peoples of the Sepik River area. Though fieldwork and research continue today, there are objects, such as this, that are still poorly understood. While it has been suggested that this carving may be a flute ornament, as the bottom form of the object is the same as many flute stoppers, its function is not clear.

What is clear is the attribution of the object to the Sepik River region. The combination of animals, animal features, and human motifs is characteristic of Sepik River art. The animals depicted relate to local mythology or totemic relationships.

Provenance
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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Ritual Object | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=2010.15