"Boiken Plate, Papua New Guinea, Oceania "
This large wooden plate was formerly used to present meals eaten together in the Boiken villages of northern Papua New Guinea. Much more rarely, it could be used during rituals to feed ancestral spirits. Characteristic of the region, these plates are decorated in their centers with engraved geometric patterns. Studied since the 1970s, their meaning remains mysterious. Perhaps they are related to human gestation. (Cf. Christian Coiffier, Des plats, entre hommes et esprits : plats Arapesh, Boiken et Murik, DZ éditions, 2015). In addition to its central motif, our example is engraved around its edge with a beautiful geometric band. A small plant fiber tie allows it to be hung.
Boiken area, Papua New Guinea, 20th century. Very well preserved.
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