Cleveland Museum of Art

Canoe Splashboard

Date

1800s

Medium

wood

Culture

Melanesia, Papua New Guinea, Massim Area, Trobriand Islands, 19th century

Department

Oceania

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Trobriand Islanders often travel great distances by canoe to exchange ceremonial objects. Elaborately carved splashboards offered spiritual protection to the voyagers. Stylized frigate birds ornament this example.

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