 |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
Oceania Kwoma peoples, Papua New Guinea Dagger Human bone, cowrie shells Raymond and Laura Wielgus Collection Indiana University Art Museum, 66.72 Kwoma men often carved daggers from human bone. As part of Kwoma funerary rites, a son inherited his father's femur, which he might then make into a dagger, sometimes adding supernaturally charged materials in the back, which were believed to increase its effectiveness. The cowrie shells inserted near the top enhance its appearance but also would have increased its prestige value. |