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Pottery head, Hambos (personal name), 19th–early 20th century
Clay, pigment
11 x 8 x 8.5 in.
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.337

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "Collected by Douglas Newton in Nagri village in 1968. He stated this was the only old Nukuma head he could find in the region. Douglas Newton Collection, New York." (Catalog #335, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 137.) PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "Christian Kaufmann states that, in general, with the clay heads, one is dealing with the representation of sacred spirit beings who are closely related to yams and happenings in the primeval age. Thus, there is equivalence between the heads, yams, and the spirits of ages past. Douglas Newton reports that Hambos was the main ancestor of the Wanyi clan, the transmiter of the yam cult knowledge to both the Nukuma and, later, the Kwoma. He originated in Nagri village, and an extra ritual was added to the yam cult cycle in that village to commemorate Yinamu, Hambos's grandmother, who taught him the yam cult secrets. This head was a principal object in that ritual (Newton, 1971: 83-84). Decorated with a chicken feather beard and a topknot, it was placed in front of a pile of yams, and other food surrounding a wooden yina head in the middle of the ceremonial house. In its crescent mouth a cigar (tobacco wrapped in banana leaf) was put for marking periods of singing while burning down (ibid., 88). Kauffman also states that the master potters were the most revered of all Kwoma artists (Kaeppler, Kauffman, and Newton, 1997: 252.)" (Catalog #335, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 137.)

Related Keywords
name personal Hambos Pottery Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised 137 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art 335 Catalog York region find head old only this stated He 1968 Newton Douglas by Collected people Nukuma village Nagri Oceania Province Sepik East Guinea New Papua Melanesia Sculpture pigment Clay 0709200406050321 A365252 L05.1.337 AOA