NOSE ORNAMENTS OF THE ASMAT
REFERENCES
F. Borel (1999), Schmuck: Kostbarkeiten aus Afrika, Asien Ozeanien, und Amerika, Hatje Cantz,
Berlin.
M. Buckley, C. Anderung, K. Penkman, B. J. Raney, A. Gotherstrom, J. Thomas-Oates, and M.
J. Collins (2008), “Comparing the Survival of Osteocalcin and mtDNA in Archeological Bone
from Four European Sites.” J. Archeological Science 35, 1756–64.
E. Kjellgren (2007) Oceania: Art of the Pacifi c Islands in the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
G. Konrad, U. Konrad, and T. Schneebaum (1981), Asmat: Life with the Ancestors, Friedhelm
Bruckner, Germany.
A. Nowell, C. Walker, C. E. Cordova, C. J. H. Ames, J. T. Pokins, D. Stueber, R. DeWitt, and A.
S. A. al-Souliman (2016). “Middle Pleistocene Subsistence in the Azraq Oasis, Jordan: Protein
Residue and Other Proxies.” J. Archeological Science 73, 36–44.
S. Pääbo (2014), Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes. Basic Books, New York.
A. Wentholt (2016), in Michael Hamson (ed.), New Guinea Art from Astrolabe Bay to Morobe,
Michael Hamson Oceanic Art, Palos Verdes Estates, pp. 86–89.
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head is we-eke, literally “fruit of man,” and like
the fruit of the coconut palm, the human head has
a hard shell that protects its core. The headhunting
raiders referred to themselves as the younger brothers
of the fruit-eating birds, fruit-gathering squirrels,
and tree-kangaroos, since the raider goes in search
of human fruit. Fruit-eating animals, especially dramatic
ones like the wreathed hornbill, represent the
aggressive and successful headhunter.
On the wreathed hornbill’s casque are a series of
raised protuberances ranging from chevron to partially
round in shape that are characteristic of this
species (fi g. 11). The bird features as a headhunting
motif on various objects. Its head is carved grabbing
a fruit as part of the grip of a drum (fi gs. 11b and
c). The casque and upper beak, which prominently
show the ridges, are incorporated into a feathered
ornament worn on the back of a warrior (fi g. 11d).
This is refl ected in a particularly interesting nose ornament
showing an almost exact representation of
two bird heads (fi g. 11e). We think it likely that the
hornbill’s casque ridges served as a source of inspiration
for other nose ornaments too and typify the
examples grouped in category D.
Sometimes it is diffi cult to allocate a certain nose
ornament to a particular category, and we realize,
of course, the hazard of overinterpretation. Multiple
interpretations are also possible. Viewed from
one angle, a praying mantis motif may suggest itself,
while from another angle the casque of a hornbill is
the more persuasive interpretation. Therefore, some
ambiguity will always remain, but one can also accept
this as a challenge to the observer to make up
his own mind.
The main purpose of our effort is to call attention
to the inventiveness of Asmat carvers and the richness
of their artistic palette, not only in decorating
items such as large wooden sculptures, drums, bone
daggers, etc., but also in devoting close attention to
the carving of small objects such as nose ornaments.
We have tried to highlight the notion that nose ornaments
are not only worn as embellishments for
aesthetic pleasure, but that, in essence, they radiate
meanings deeply rooted in the creation myths, religion,
and cyclical rebirth stories of the inhabitants of
the Asmat region.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank Pepijn Kamminga for showing us
the pig bones in the collection of the Naturalis Biodiversity
Center. Thanks also to Wil Roebroeks for helpful suggestions.
Photographs of nose ornaments and other objects are by Jan van
Esch unless stated otherwise in the captions.