a
d
b
c
92
e
As a guide, we have rendered a number of pictograms,
each derived from the mantis. The most distinctive
aspects of its form are the massive hooked
limbs that are held in front of the body (fi g. 9a).
Eliminating the more trivial parts such as the antennae
and putting the front part in an upright position
results in fi gure 9b. From here we represent all the
frontal body parts in the abstract using a cigar-like
motif (fi gs. 9c, d, e, and f). The body and limbs from
fi gure 9b are duplicated in fi gure 9c but mirrored
from the center (indicated by the horizontal dashed
line). In fi gure 9d, the lateral view of the pictogram
of fi gure 9c is mirrored along the vertical axis, resulting
in a frontal, or dorsal, view. In fi gures 9e and f
the legs are shown in two different positions. Having
established these, our aim is to reduce an example
of each of four categories in fi gure 8 from its actual
manifestation to one of the fi gure 9 pictograms. To
support our interpretations and make them clearer
to the reader, we have also selected other Asmat art
objects incorporating the same iconography.
The example from group A relates to pictograms
c/d. This becomes clear when we compare intermediate
drawings with increasing degrees of abstraction.
Initial drawings of a wooden sculpture, a drum, a
dagger, and a nose ornament stripped of nonessential
details are still relatively realistic, but from there
we can easily reduce these drawings into one of the
pictograms. Following an identical approach, fi gure
10b, a nose ornament from group B, can be reduced
to pictogram e. Here we take a similar iconography
from a dagger. A delicate, openwork representative
of group C can be traced back to pictogram f. Interestingly,
a thin ridge of bone connects the farthest
ends, stabilizing the fragile carving. Remembering
the female mantis (fi g. 7b), it is tempting to consider
this element as a stylized male victim. We also
encounter this motif in the fi gure on the dagger in
fi gure 10a and in the example from group E. Based
on form and design, the nose ornaments of group E
were put into a separate category. Upon close inspection,
the abstraction was encountered earlier and is
similar to pictograms c/d.
Bearing in mind that the Asmat choose living
forms from nature to express their beliefs, we suggest
that the nose ornaments of category D were
inspired by another creature in the headhunters’ universe:
the wreathed hornbill (Rhythiceros plicatus)
(fi g. 11a). In the related Kamoro language, spoken
to the northwest of the Asmat region, the word for
FIGS. 11a–d: Detailed analysis of a nose ornament from group D. a) The casque
of the hornbill shows characteristic ridges. b) A hornbill’s head eating fruit is carved
as the handle of a drum as a headhunting motif. c) Enlargement of the drum
handle shows the casque with ridges and the fruit the bird is going to eat. d) The
top part of a beak with casque decorated with feathers, worn on the back as a
headhunter’s ornament. e) The ridges of the casque may have inspired artists to
carve nose ornaments. The nose ornament at the bottom displays two realistically
designed birds’ heads and the top one shows the ridges of the casque. For
additional examples, see group D.
Photos of the nose ornaments taken by the authors.
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