Abelam Wooden Karaut Boar’s Tusk Pectoral-New Guinea Art-Oceanic Art
Very rare Abelam wooden karaut boar’s tusk ornament—normally held in the teeth or worn on the back of new male initiates. These are also put on long yams when publicly displayed to transform the yam into the ancestral spirit responsible for the yam’s tremendous growth. This example is the only known wooden one. It was field collected in the 1990s by Michael Kremerskothen of Dortmund Germany. The piece is 9” in height and dates to the early 20th century.