Kina - Highlands Wedding Necklace

Papua New Guinea, Highlands

XXᵉ century

Spectacular kina marine shell ceremonial pendant, carved from a nautilus valve and sculpted into a broad crescent, an emblematic form of prestige coins from the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

The finely polished surface has a remarkable old patina, enriched with residual traces of ritual red pigments, testifying to prolonged ceremonial use.

In Highlands societies, these shells constituted one of the highest forms of traditional wealth, used during major exchanges:

- matrimonial dowries

- social compensations

- political transactions between groups

The present specimen is distinguished by:

- its large size (22 × 10 cm), characteristic of high-ranking pieces

- the thickness and regularity of its size

- an authentic patina of use

The pendant is suspended from a woven textile band, adorned with cowrie shells, two side appendages and at the top of the band original preserved dried leaf fragments.

PROVENANCE

Jean-Pierre Dutilleux Collection

Object collected during field missions in Papua New Guinea

PUBLICATION

Example reproduced in:

TRIBES - The First People, Jean-Pierre Dutilleux, Éditions Vilo

"This wedding necklace is made from a nautilus shell of great value in the high mountains of New Guinea. "

This is the published piece.

EXHIBITION

Le Monde Premier, Belgium, 2018

COMPARAISON MUSÉALE

A comparable example is preserved in the Musée de Nouvelle-Calédonie.

DIMENSIONS

Shell: 215 mm wide

× 170 mm high

Thickness 6 to 7 mm at most

STATUS

Very good overall condition

Traces of ritual pigments preserved