PNG INIET STONE CARVING

DESCRIPTION

Roughly-carved standing ancestor; rare ceremonial figure

ARTIST

Unknown; Tolai people, New Britain, PNG

Age unknown - originally labelled as "very old”

PROVENANCE

Collected in the 1950s to 1960s by E.A. (Eddie) Tull, of Rabaul, New Britain PNG, who brought them into Australia, and were acquired by Peter Hallinan in the 1970s, and by the UQAM. 

This particular carving was bought from Peter Hallinan by Ian Thompson (Decorators’ Gallery) and subsequently by Gallery of the Pacific in 1997. It has been in storage since 1997.

GENERAL

Used in initiation ceremonies of the Iniet, a powerful and secret mens' society of the Tolai people of New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago, Eastern Papua New Guinea. 

Traditional carving ended around 1910.

MATERIAL

Chalky limestone

CONDITION

A visible repair where neck had been separated from head; otherwise in good condition.

SIZE

29 x 14 x 9 cm / 11.5 x 5.5 x 3.5 inches 

WEIGHT: 2 kg / 4.5 lb 

REFERENCES 

Ritual Arts of Oceania NEW IRELAND in the Collections of the Barbier-Mueller Museum, p.76-77

Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. II, Köln 1995, p. 364 f

Koch, Gerd, INIET - Geister in Stein, Die Berliner Iniet-Figuren-Sammlung, Museum für

Völkerkunde Berlin 1982,