Ritual male murder spear
BOPANI: artist
No image available
This is a ritual murder spear from Elcho Island - male because of the single barb. It is used for killing a man who may have broken a tribal law. The spear is thrust into his body while he is asleep and is left there to indicate an execution, and not a murder. Emu footprints are shown near the bottom of the barbs; the two swifts carved in the wood at the top are age-old designs found all along the coast of Arnhem Land even at Groote Eylandt in the manufacture of spears. Collected: Davidson #24 Exhibited Field: field Museum, Chicago. 1972. Cat. deYoung: M.H. deYoung Memorial Museum, San Fransisco. 1974. Cat.
Title
Ritual male murder spear
Artist/Maker and role
BOPANI: artist
Medium
ochres on wood
Measurements
119.2 x 5.0cm
Credit line
Purchased through the Western Australian Government, 1988
The State Art Collection, The Art Gallery of Western Australia
Accession number
1988/0522