The Dorthy Methvin McClatchey Collection
Forehead
Ornament
Papua, New Guinea
1994.34.124
20th Century
Personal
ornamentation plays an important role in ceremonies throughout
Papua, New Guinea. While the 3.5 million inhabitants of the
country share many of the same cultural characteristics, the
style of ornamentation used by different groups differs slightly
from region to region. A variety of organic and inorganic
materials are commonly used in the creation of personal ornaments,
including bird feathers (e.g., parrot, eagle, Princess Stephanie,
bird of paradise), plant matter (e.g., crotons, ferns, seeds),
boar tusks, plastic and glass beads, marsupial fur and marine
shells (e.g., cowrie, conus, pearl, baler). This piece is made
of woven plant fiber, boar tusks and various types of marine
shell, including those belonging to the genera Cypraea and Conus. These and other marine shell species are
used alone or in combination with other items to form headbands,
necklaces, bracelets, armbands and belts. While marine shells
are clearly of more importance to the economy of coastal populations,
they are regularly used as ornamentation by both coastal and
highland groups.