20th C. Papua New Guinea Wood and Reed Yam Mask- Lot 93, Auction 3/1/2018

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Oceania, Papua New Guinea, East Sepik, Abelam, ca. mid 20th century CE. A fascinating woven mask with an avian, owl-like oval face, split in half by a thin projection that resembles a narrow beak, with two round, open eyes. Above the head is an openwork wooden crest, with a large openwork frame of woven reeds around it; these are painted dark brownish red, white, and black. Masks like this example have traditionally been used to adorn the heads of huge tubers, rather than humans. Size: 9.7″ W x 20.5″ H (24.6 cm x 52.1 cm)

Curious? Indeed, the Abelam cultivate massive yams in addition to the ordinary variety. These can be as much as 12 feet long. According to the curatorial department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, “A man