Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art

About this Work

The Matankor peoples of the Admiralty Islands are known for their skilled carvers and craftsmen. Their creations were so valued that they were sought after and traded with others in the Admiralty Islands.

These craftsmen would specialize in carved beds, wooden bowls, slit gongs, figures, and more. Carving, in particular woodcarving, was so valued that houses and household objects are often elaborately made. Characteristic of Matankor carvings is the use of reddish brown, black, and white pigments, as well as incised triangles and lozenge shapes. The placement of these triangles and lozenges reflect the Admiralty Island people’s fondness for patterned borers.

The figures depicted in Matankor carvings are probably ancestors, though it is thought that in objects made for trade they are generic ancestor figures, rather than specific ones. This use of generic figures for trade is logical considering the carver could not know the family or history of the eventual trade partner.