Green River Shield - Abau people, Upper Sepik River, Papua New Guinea, mid-20th cent.
Wood, organic pigments
(72" h. x 28" w. x 1 1/2" d.)
ex- California collection, collected in New Guinea, c.1960.
Note:  Piece requires special shipping due to size and weight.

This shield was collected in the 1960s in the Green River area. This river flows into the Upper Sepik River near the West Papuan border.  It is mountainous rugged country difficult to access. The people are the Abau and these shields are carved from the wide buttress roots of a rainforest tree.  They have no carved handle but may have rope handles that would have been attached to holes in the sides of the shield.