A War Shield MENDI AREA, SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

• Lot Sold $6,500 (Hammer Price)
• $7,800 (Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium)

carved hardwood, natural earth pigments and rope 126CM HIGH PROVENANCE Private Collection, Melbourne This dynamically painted Mendi Fighting shield from the Southern Highlands of New Guinea dates to circa 1930. It possesses a fine pecked design, smooth worn patina and bears old arrows embedded from tribal warfare. The Eastern Highlands were only discovered in 1933 by the Leahy Brothers and the Southern Highlands were discovered a few years later. Exploration was very limited which was caused by the interruption of World War II. Although the region had been discovered, many of the villages remained completely unvisited. It was only in 1950-1951 the Southern Highlands District was formed and the administrator’s primary role was to introduce some order into a region that has only been known for fighting from time immemorial. D’lan Davidson