A fine and rare form of aripa, representing a male ancestral spirit related to hunting. While most of these figure are carved with full bodies some rare examples, like the present one, are carved with just the upper body and head surmounted with a feathered headress. The figure’s body shows two inverted animal forms on the front and back clasping each other. Caves of the Korewori, Ewa People, Inyai Village, Upper Korewori River, South bank of the Middle Sepik River, PNG, Melanesia. Hard wood with traces of lichen and calcifications due to storage in a limestone cave. 140 x 6 x 7.5 cm. 18th century. C-14 dating results are 195 years before 1950 +/- 32 years: mean date 1755 AD, earliest date 1723 AD, latest date 1787 AD.
An identical piece collected by Maurice Bonnefoy is in the Museum für Völkerkunde in Basel, inv. Vb 25421.

Ref.:
Haberland, Eike: CAVES OF THE KARAWARI. D'Arcy Galleries, New York, 1968, N° 57.

Kaufmann, Christian : KOREWORI. Magische Kunst aus dem Regenwald. Museum der Kulturen, Basel & Christoph Merian Verlag, 2003, fig 44, PP 38 & 96.

Meyer, Anthony JP: OCEANIC ART / OZEANISCHE KUNST / ART OCEANIEN. Könemann Verlag, Köln. 1995.