Cleveland Museum of Art

Male Ancestor Figure

Date: before 1930
Medium: limestone
Culture: Melanesia, Central New Ireland, Namatani District, 20th century
Department: Oceania
Institution: Cleveland Museum of Art

Carved and painted chalk figures from New Ireland served as repositories for the spirits of deceased men and women during funeral rituals. After the ceremony, the figures were destroyed or discarded, allowing the spirits to join their ancestors.

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