Guinean Arm Band, Based

Leaf shapes and toothed ovals march around it in two carved bands.

This arm band, on a base, comes from Tarawei Island, Sepik Coast, Papua New Guinea, and dates to the early 20th century. It is shell. Along the Sepik coast and its islands, carved armlets have generally been worn as personal ornament and as markers of status at ceremonies and exchanges. This one is a tall, slightly tapering cylinder with a glossy, dark reddish-brown surface. Two bands of incised decoration circle it, filled with pointed ovals, sawtooth edges and hatched leaf forms between plain borders. It is mounted on a black metal stand, and is 9 inches high and 3 in diameter.

Ornament, carved with a steady and patient hand.