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Skull reliquary figure, Agiba, C-14 dating: 1510–1820 (95% probability)
Wood, pigment
92.7 x 52.7 x 8.9 cm (36 1/2 x 20 3/4 x 3 1/2 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.166

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "Collected by Thomas Schultze-Westrum in 1966." (Catalog #476, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 164.) PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "This agiba differs from most others that I have seen in that it is a perforated oval. For customary examples, see references below. These carvings have also become known as skull holders, skull racks, or skull hangers because when in use, skulls fitted with rattan loops were attached to the curved vertical posts (see Meyer, 1995: 119, fig. 105, also published in Newton, 1961: 56, fig. 108). When the number of skulls increased as the result of headhunting expeditions, the figure was displayed on a platform to provide a base for the bottom row of skulls on which the others could be piled up (Newton, 1961, fig. 109; Haddon, 1918, pl. M, fig. 2; Specht and Fields, 1984: 147, pl.V.4228; Welsch, 1998: 459, fig. 7.8). In the early 1900s, agiba had been observed with "between fifty to sixty skulls attached" (Haddon, 1918, fig. 2). According to Haddon (ibid., 178) "an agiba is carved by a man when he takes a head, but other men add skulls from time to time; the skulls are those of enemies only." Agiba represented important ancestors, often clan founders, and were clan property. The size of the agiba may indicate whether it represents a male or female ancestral spirit, with the male the larger of the two. Douglas Newton (1963a: 8, his "Malu" monograph) describes these figures as follows: The agiba incorporated "the figure of the archetypical cannibal, with all his power to dispense fertility, decked with headhunting insignia and totemic birds and beasts." In this context, it should be noted that there are also smaller agiba for animal skulls and bones (see Newton, 1961, figs. 112-13; Welsch, 1998: 460, fig. 7.9; for "bird-skull shrines" in the shape of agiba, see Haddon, 1918: 181, figs. 4 a, b, c; see also Meyer, 1995, fig. 97 for an example from the Bamu River). For a summary description of the available information on agiba, see Smidt, 1990: 328-33. For other agiba, see Schultze-Westrum, 1972, pl. 51 (in situ) and also Bellier, 1974, cat. no. 19; Lewis-Harris, 1996: 14; Newton, 1961, figs. 110-11; Newton, 1979, cat. no. 25.5; Parsons, 1975, cat. nos. 39-41; Smidt, 1990, cat. nos. 122-23." (Catalog #476, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 164.)

Related Keywords
Agiba figure reliquary Skull Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised 164 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art 476 Catalog 1966 Westrum Schultze Thomas by Collected speakers language Kerewo village Kikori south km 7 Babaguina Oceania Province Gulf lang Porome Kerewa Guinea New Papua Melanesia object Ritual pigment Wood 0709200406050432 A361081 L05.1.166 AOA