Shields and Board Like Structures
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| DM0072SHM EASTERN HIGHLANDS SHIELD (FRONT)more... | DM0072SHM (REAR) | DM0072SHM (FRONT)DETAIL | DM00191SHM Lumi shield (FRONT)more... | DM00191SHM (REAR) | DM0073SHM EASTERN HIGHLANDS SHIELD (FRONT)more... | DM0073SHM (REAR) |
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| DM0073SHM (FRONT) DETAIL | DM00175AA ABORIGINAL SHIELD (FRONT)more... | DM00175AA (REAR) | DM00135AA ABORIGINAL BROAD SHIELD (FRONT)more... | DM00135AA (REAR) | DM0062SHM Yuat Hausboard (FRONT)more... | DM0062SHM(REAR) |
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| DM0059SM Trobriand Islands Massim skirt boardmore... | DM0212SM Papuan Gulf Heveke or Gope Board (FRONT)more... | DM0212SM (REAR) | DM0061SHM Papuan Gulf Hohao or Gope Board (FRONT)more... | DM0061SHM (REAR) | DM0158SM Papuan Gulf Gope Board (FRONT)more... | DM0158SM (REAR) |
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| DM00159SM Papuan Gulf Gope (FRONT)more... | DM00159SM (REAR) |
More About the Shields
Catalogue #_DM___0072SHM____________
Item EASTERN HIGHLANDS SHIELD
Dimensions: Ht.= 135cm L.= 55cm W.= 3cm
Description (physical):
Unpainted wooden shield.. The front has scores and scratches in rows of 'V' formation going down vertically. The handle is attached to the shield via two vertically mounted holes. The handle is made of vegetal matter, possibly bark. The top of this shield has a lining of leaves tied in place with rattan string in a cross stitch like manner .This shield has had the handle tied together forming a complete loop front to back.
The reverse of this shield is nearly identical withDM0073SM and has a small netbag or billum for holding arrows with a rattan string loop about 60cm above to hold the arrows in the bag. The back has no scratches.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This shield is of the Fore or Auyuna peoples according to the Shields of Melanesia book published through the OAS in Sydney. Sothebys have sold one in the passed and it was attributed to the Okapa or Tairona . It is clearly an Eastern Highlands shield. A very similar reverse is illustrated in the book 'Aboriginal and Melanesian Art' Art Gallery of NSW 1973 on page 34 H94 and has the Moriarty number M1454 on the back as well as an inscription 'Kukukuku Eastern Highlands Paid Fight Leaders Shield'
This shield DM0073SHM was bought from a different source from that of DM0072SHM but clearly is from the same area/people.
Similar shields illustrated
See text above.
Catalogue #_DM___00191SHM____________
Item LUMI SHIELD
Dimensions: Ht.= 114cm L.= 59cm W.= 5cm
Description (physical):
Rectangular shaped wooden shield carved in light relief on the front with the reverse blackened and undecorated. Handle bark attached through four holes.
The front has a central diamond with radiating spirals The shield is made of soft thick wood.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
These shields by the LUMI can be rectangular shaped or kidney shaped. They also exist with four or five attachment holes. The handles seem to be uniform for all types. This shield has ben painted which has in effect damaged the natural patina. The unpainted front is darkened by smoke and should be untouched up. I would welcome information as to the restoration of the front of this shield.
Catalogue #_DM___0073SHM____________
Item EASTERN HIGHLANDS SHIELD
Dimensions: Ht.= 126cm L.= 61cm W.= 3cm
Description (physical):
Unpainted wooden shield.. The front has scores and scratches in rows of 'V' formation going down vertically. The handle is attached to the shield via two vertically mounted holes. The handle is made of vegetale matter, possibly bark. The top of this shield has a lining of leaves tyed in place with rattan string in a stitchlike manner.This shield has the remnants of the green vegetale hanging down from the leaves along the top. Remains of arrowheads are on the front of this shield.
The reverse of this shield is nearly identical withDM0072SM and has a small netbag or billum for holding arrows with a rattan string loop about 60cm above to hold the arrows in the bag.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This shield is of the Fore or Auyuna peoples according to the Shields of Melanesia book published through the OAS in Sydney. Sothebys have sold one in the passed and it was attributed to the Okapa or Tairona . It is clearly an Eastern Highlands shield. A very similar reverse is illustrated in the book 'Aboriginal and Melanesian Art' Art Gallery of NSW 1973 on page 34 H94 and has the Moriarty number M1454 on the back as well as an inscription 'Kukukuku Eastern Highlands Paid Fight Leaders Shield'
This shield DM0073SHM was bought from a different source from that of DM0072SHM but clearly is from the same area/people.
Similar shields illustrated
See text above.
Catalogue #_DM___00175AA___________
Item ABORIGINAL SHIELD
Dimensions: Ht.= 72cm L.= 10.5cm W.= 5cm including handle
Description (physical):
Long slim wooden shield with incised banding .The whole coloured in reddish ochre. Th rear has lug handle protruding from the shield banding decoration on rear
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This shield is reputedly from South Australia . It was from a private USA source and was originally acquired in the 1920’s or 1930’s and it may have a connection to TYRELL’S museum Sydney Australia.I would welcome further information on this style of Australian Shield
Bought at auction 2002
Catalogue #_DM___00135AA____________
Item____ABORIGINAL BROAD SHIELD (Victoria)
Dimensions: Ht.=70cm D.=0.5cm W.=18.5cm
Description (physical):
Thin wooden shield in diamond trapezium shape. The shield has a plain rectangular part both top and bottom. A horizontal line through the middle is carved in relief and zig zag lines carved in relief above and below this . All relief lines are infilled in white ochre which is said to be old pipe clay.The reverse has evidence of the carving but no decoration and has an old label with faded writing. Equidistant from the middle are two holes evidently for a handle.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This shield acquired in Europe is probably from Victoria in Australia and could date from the nineteenth century. The shield is known as a broad shield as opposed to a parrying shield and was used to fend off clubs and spears.The relief carving is said to be done using possum jaw or tooth.
Acquired Brussels Belgium in 2000
Similar shields illustrated in:
ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIA exhibition 1981-82 Presented by the AUSTRALIAN GALLERY DIRECTORS COUNCIL Figures 45 to 50 show broad shieldsand colour plate 10 and 11
Shields Africa , Southeast Asia and Oceania Benitez and Barbier Prestel 2000 pages 232 -233
Sydney Morning Herald Money manager section 21 May 2003 page 12 Article by Peter Fish 'COLLECT' on the collection of Bill Evans .
Catalogue #_DM___0062SHM____________
Item YUAT HAUS BOARD
Dimensions: Ht.= 96cm L.= 20cm W.= 6cm
Description (physical):
Wooden board carved with two masks one on top of the other on the front with the reverse undecorated.
The front has the masks decorated only with blackened areas.
The reverse has a lug at the top
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
I know almost nothing about this board but would love to know more. This is a very attractive piece and either was part of a larger decoration or was a piece in it's own right. The masks are Yuat river
Catalogue #_DM___0059SM____________
Item TROBRIAND ISLANDS MASSIM SKIRT BOARD
Dimensions: Ht.= 56cm L.= 19cm W.= 5cm
Description (physical):
Oval shaped wooden board with a beautiful patina. Completely undecorated but has some insect damage.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
These boards are used by the Massim to cut the leaves used to make the womens' grass skirts. These boards can be beautifully carved in relief but this is a well loved board that has no carving but evidently was well used and loved.
Catalogue #_DM___00212SM____________
Item HEVEKE BOARD PAPUAN GULF
Dimensions: Ht.= 158cm L.= 41cm W.= 2cm
Description (physical):
Oval shaped wooden board carved in light relief on the front with the reverse blackened and undecorated. Hole all the way through where the mouth is and eye holes.
The front has a central abstract visage. The front is coloured in white kaolin blackened charred areas and reddish ochre
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
These ancestral boards are also commonly called gope or heveke. They are from the Papuan Gulf area. Ancestral boards are traditionally kept in the men's house. I really think that this is a heveke or mask as it has the remnants around the edge which suggests that it had something attached. It also has the eye holes and the mouth holes
Other boards illustrated in:
Art Styles of The Papuan Gulf D. Newton The Museum of Primitive Art NY 1961
Catalogue #_DM___0061SHM____________
Item HOHAO BOARD PAPUAN GULF
Dimensions: Ht.= 120cm L.= 30cm W.= 4cm
Description (physical):
Oval shaped wooden board pointed at both ends ,carved in light relief on the front with the reverse undecorated.
The front has a central abstract visage and has a raised forehead and nose The central medial line has a white/ red and unpainted decoration through it.. The front is coloured in white kaolin blackened charred areas and reddish ochre
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
These ancestral boards are also commonly called Hohao. They are from the Papuan Gulf area. They are considered very powerful and are all named. Ulli Beier and Albert Maori Kiki descrbe in their co -authored book "Hohao the uneasy survival of an art form in the Papuan Gulf"1970 the unease that some members of the community have seeing or dealing with these boards.
Catalogue #_DM___00158SM____________
Item GOPE BOARD PAPUAN GULF
Dimensions: Ht.= 103cm L.= 28cm W.= 2cm
Description (physical):
Oval shaped wooden board carved in light relief on the front with the reverse blackened and undecorated.
The front has a central abstract visage and has crescent shapes and chevron shapes up and down both edges at the side. The front is coloure in white kaolin blackened charred areas and reddish ochre
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
These ancestral boards are also commonly called gope . They are from the Papuan Gulf area. The shape of the patterning along the sides at the front are remanisant of the Wapo creek area (see Art Styles of The Papuan Gulf page 66 cat.152) and Urama Island as well as coastal Namau (ibid. pages 79 and 80)
Ancestral boards are traditionally kept in the men's house.
Catalogue #_DM___00159SM____________
Item GOPE BOARD PAPUAN GULF
Dimensions: Ht.= 80cm L.= 20cm W.= 1cm
Description (physical):
Oval shaped wooden board carved in light relief on the front with the reverse blackened and undecorated.
The front has a central abstract visage. The front is coloured in white kaolin blackened charred areas and reddish ochre
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
These ancestral boards are also commonly called gope . They are from the Papuan Gulf area. Ancestral boards are traditionally kept in the men's house.
This board is probably an individuals board as it is very small in comparison with others.
Other boards illustrated in:
Art Styles of The Papuan Gulf D. Newton The Museum of Primitive Art NY 1961