Aboriginal Coolamon, Central Desert, Australia

Coolamon, Central Desert, Australia. This elongated vessel with rounded ends is carved from a single piece of wood. The exterior is decorated with a central spiral motif surrounded by stepped hatching incised with a stone tool. The smooth, even interior and slightly worn ends indicate prolonged use. This type of coolamon is distinguished by its versatility: it was used to transport and prepare foodstuffs, to grind or mix seeds and pigments, and could be used in ritual deposits or offerings. Eucalyptus wood, red ochre pigment on the surface, stone incisions, and signs of use at both ends (see photos). Aboriginal people of the Central Desert, Australia. Dimensions: 31.4 × 6.2 cm. Provenance: Former private collection, Paris. Sold with invoice from Galerie Ocarina and certificate of authenticity from expert Serge Reynes.* Shipping costs upon request. "In the societies of the Central Desert, coolamons were essential everyday objects. Their hollow shape allowed for the collection, transport, and processing of food, while the inner surface was used for lightly grinding seeds or mixing ochres used in body paints. In a ceremonial context, these containers could hold pigments, offerings, or elements associated with Dreamtime narratives—that mythical time when the creator ancestors shaped the landscapes, transmitted laws, songs, and sacred routes. Coolamons decorated with symbolic incisions, such as this one, sometimes accompanied rituals related to these narratives, participating in the transmission of knowledge and the continuity of traditions."