Dagger
| Culture | Iatmul |
|---|---|
| Title | Dagger (Amia Ava) |
| Date | Before mid 20th century |
| Medium | Cassowary bone |
| Dimensions | Object: 9 5/8 × 1 3/4 × 1 1/2 in. (24.4 × 4.4 × 3.8 cm) Overall (includes mount): 10 1/8 × 1 7/8 × 1 7/8 in. (25.7 × 4.8 × 4.8 cm) |
| Credit Line | Raymond and Laura Wielgus Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 75.99.2 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
Daggers were historically rare in Oceania and were found only in Hawai'i, the Admiralty Islands, and New Guinea. Bone daggers were unique to New Guinea and generally used for hand-to-hand fighting and for ritual. A human face shown in typical Iatmul style, with circle eyes and long, curving nose, is depicted on this dagger.
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.
Request this image
The Eskenazi Museum of Art provides images of its collection, free of charge, upon request.
This artwork is under copyright protection. You can request the image and it will be emailed to you when the request is complete.
Cite this page
"Dagger | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=75.99.2