NOSE ORNAMENTS OF THE ASMAT
price tag. Moreover, these techniques are still the
prerogative of a few academic centers, which are
not easily approachable for public services. However,
we must admit, the overriding argument was a
more sensitive one. A sample must be taken from
the object for proper analysis, and the result is a substantial
loss from a relatively small piece of art. For
an art lover, this is an insurmountable barrier against
such an action. As such, for our analysis we had to
rely on more old-fashioned, classic approaches.
From our above-referenced investigation on daggers,
we have detailed measurements of a cassowary
skeleton in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in
Leiden. The closest match to bone used in otsjes that
we could fi nd were the digit bones of the foot, but
their size was far smaller than the required length
and diameter. A human skeleton was studied in the
Academic Medical Center in
Amsterdam. The shape
and form suggested the
metacarpal bones of
the hands and feet as
the most promising
candidates, but again
85
is broken down in steps from one specifi c end and
the weight (mass) of each removed amino acid is
measured. Since each amino acid possesses a characteristic
mass, the sequence of the protein can be
deduced from these data. The differences between
collagens of the different species are suffi cient to
establish the animal source from which they derive.
A stunning example demonstrating the power of a
related technique modifi ed from forensics is the determination
of protein fragments from various animals
left on ancient stone tools used for butchering
prey. Specifi c antibodies were used to detect protein
remains, leading to an educated guess of the
species from which they came. Confi rmation was
established with blood taken from a corresponding
and still-living species. The results revealed the
spectrum of animals that were hunted and eaten
by early man in the region of a 250,000-year-old
archeological settlement in Jordan (A. Nowell, et
al. 2016).
Despite its accuracy, there are several reasons why
we refrained from such an analysis. To obtain statistically
reliable results, a number of nose ornaments
must be investigated, which carries a substantial
FIG. 7a (right): Asmat
dagger with a praying mantis
motif carved into the lower
part of the shaft.
Authors’ photo.
FIG. 6 (above): Femur of pig
and a nose ornament.
Authors’ photo.