Bontoc Tikam or Hip/Waist Ornament

Fine lines curve around the shell like ripples, stopping just short of a scorched-looking center.

This tikam, or hip/waist ornament, is Bontoc, from the Philippines, and dates to the early 20th century. It is mother of pearl. Bontoc adornment often makes use of shell, which catches the light against dark clothing and skin. This shell carries a broad incised horseshoe of patterns, from zigzags and diamonds to rows of tiny scales and cross-hatching, inked in black. A round dark disc with a toothed edge sits at the center, slotted for fastening, and dark mottling spreads across the shell around it. The edges show thick, layered pearl. It is 9.5 inches high and 8.5 wide.

Meticulous carving on a shell that already had plenty to say.