Ancestor skull «ndambirkus»
Asmat, Papua-Neuguinea
bone, polished, the eye-sockets were filled with a blackish mass which was also used to remodel the nose, grey seeds of Job's-tear grass («Coix lacryma-jobi») in dense rows stuck into the material, the lower jaw backside decorated with a string of threaded Job's tears and feathers, additonal: necklace of cord material with vertebra bone attached; the men always used to carry the skulls with them, in order to keep in touch with the ancestors. When sleeping they were used as headrests. The polished, shining surface of the bone refers to the long usage of the skull.
H: ca. 20 cm

Lit.: Konrad, Gunter und Ursula, Mattihas Schneebaum, Asmat, Leben mit den Ahnen, Glashütten 1981, p. 104 f.