SOLOMON ISLANDS "BARAVA" CLAM SHELL PLAQUE, CA. 1940-1950

Description

SOLOMON ISLANDS
BARAVA
CLAM SHELL PLAQUE, CIRCA 1940-1950
OFFERED IS A
BARAVA
CLAM SHELL PLAQUE FROM CHOISEUL ISLAND IN THE WESTERN SOLOMON ISLANDS, 9 INCHES (APPROX. 23 CM.) IN HEIGHT.
BARAVAS
WERE USED THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN SOLOMON'S AND FUNCTIONED AS FUNERARY OFFERINGS AND PROTECTIVE CHARMS PLACED ON AND INSIDE SKULL HUTS OR GRAVES OF DECEASED IMPORTANT VILLAGE MEN. LARGER EXAMPLES WERE USED ALSO AS LAND MARKERS.
OPENWORK
BARAVA
PLAQUES WERE MADE BY DRILLING AND ABRASION. ON THE OLDER EXAMPLES, CORAL RASPING AND SHARKSKIN ABRASION WAS MOST PREVALENT. I AM CONSERVATIVELY DATING THIS PIECE FROM 1940-1950 AS I BELIEVE THE TOOLING ON SOME OF THE INTERIOR BITS IS METAL TOOLING. EUROPEANS, WITH THEIR METAL TOOLS AND HARDWARE, FIRST CAME TO THE SOLOMON ISLANDS IN THE 16TH CENTURY BUT MOST OF THE ISLANDS WERE NOT COLONIZED UNTIL THE 19TH C.
THIS EXAMPLE HAS A CENTRAL FIGURE THAT IS FLANKED ON EITHER SIDE BY A CROUCHING HUMAN FIGURE. AT THE TOP IS A STYLIZED AVIAN FIGURE POSSIBLY A ROOSTER. THE STRUCTURE ABOVE THE CLAM SHELL RING IS MEANT TO DEPICT THE SPIRIT WORLD.
ACQUIRED FROM A NEW ZEALAND PRIVATE COLLECTION.
PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUESTION.