Calabash Ritual Instrument - Ceremonial Aerophone

Papua / Indonesia (Irian Jaya - Una group)

XXᵉ century

Furnished natural calabash

Length: 60 cm

DESCRIPTION

Important calabash instrument of elongated, tapered form, displaying a remarkable formal presence.

The carefully hollowed-out object features a warm brown patina surface. It is pierced by a lateral perforation, a decisive element attesting to an aerophone (wind instrument) function, with the calabash acting as a resonance box.

This feature clearly distinguishes the piece from a simple penis case, to which it may have been assimilated by formal analogy.

PARTICULARITY - PUBLISHED EXAMPLE

This object is reproduced in the reference book

"TRIBES - The First People" by Jean-Pierre Dutilleux.

It appears there under the designation "penis sheath".

However, direct observation of the piece - notably the presence of a functional lateral perforation - now allows us to propose a revised reading of it as a sound instrument (aerophone).

ETHNOGRAPHICAL SCOPE

Elong gourd forms are well attested in Papua (Irian Jaya, Una group), where they can serve multiple functions.

The present piece illustrates the porosity of ancient ethnographic classifications and testifies to a likely ritual or sonic use.

PROVENANCE

Collection Jean-Pierre Dutilleux

Collected during field missions

EXHIBITION

Presented in the exhibition "Monde Premier" (Belgium, 2018)

STATUS

Very good used condition