Asmat Wood Ceremonial Drum

Chevrons stack up the drum from base to rim like arrows all agreeing on a direction.

This ceremonial drum is Asmat, from the Central and Coastal Region of West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), Indonesia, and dates to the early 20th century, in wood. Among the Asmat, drums are widely regarded as prized possessions, their carving often drawing on ancestral motifs. The long body narrows at the middle and flares at each end, almost entirely covered in carved, nested chevrons. A rectangular openwork handle joins the waist between two raised bands. The wood is a warm, even honey brown. It is 46.25 inches high and 7.5 in diameter.

Built tall, so the beat carries a little further.