Description
Rhombe, village of Aimei, Era River delta region, central Gulf province of Papua Papua New Guinea Wood, pigments Height: 52.6 cm Provenance: Collected in the village of Aimei on April 14, 1966 by Thomas Schuzle Weurstrum - Mention on the back "373 14.4.66" (Schuzle Weurstrum) Collection Marcia & John Friede, USA Collection Dr. Holger Braun, Germany Serge Schoffel Collection Oval, narrow and elongated, this rhombus is engraved at the top with a highly stylized figure, topped by a geometric design of obliquely carved serrated friezes on either side of a raised median rib, dipping down to the figure's face in lieu of a nose. The white of the engravings contrasts with the warmth of the brown wood, revealing the figure of the spiritual entity. The rhombus, a ritual instrument of vibratory music, is considered one of the most sacred objects in initiation rites. By twirling it in the air with the aid of a string, it produced a muffled roar evoking the voices of spirits, devouring mythical creatures, swallowing up young initiates to rebirth them as accomplished men. This symbolic dimension of the rhombus as "man-eater" is reflected in many of the myths surrounding its birth. Francis Edgar Williams relates one of them, according to which Rhombe was originally a half-man, microcodile creature. One day, a woman disguised as a man broke into the ceremonial house where he was staying to look for fire. His anger was so great that he couldn't calm down until he had fed the unfortunate woman. Rhombe-crocodile was killed and the instrument was discovered in his belly; Rhombe-homme died in a fire and was transformed into a tree, the wood of which has since been used to carve rhombes. "(Breton Stéphane, In "La bouche cannibale", Gradhiva: revue d'histoire et d'archives de l'anthropologie, 1)
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Rhombe, village of Aimei, Era River delta region, central Gulf province of Papua Papua New Guinea Wood, pigments Height: 52.6 cm Provenance: Collected in the village of Aimei on April 14, 1966 by Thomas Schuzle Weurstrum - Mention on the back "373 14.4.66" (Schuzle Weurstrum) Collection Marcia & John Friede, USA Collection Dr. Holger Braun, Germany Serge Schoffel Collection Oval, narrow and elongated, this rhombus is engraved at the top with a highly stylized figure, topped by a geometric design of obliquely carved serrated friezes on either side of a raised median rib, dipping down to the figure's face in lieu of a nose. The white of the engravings contrasts with the warmth of the brown wood, revealing the figure of the spiritual entity. The rhombus, a ritual instrument of vibratory music, is considered one of the most sacred objects in initiation rites. By twirling it in the air with the aid of a string, it produced a muffled roar evoking the voices of spirits, devouring mythical creatures, swallowing up young initiates to rebirth them as accomplished men. This symbolic dimension of the rhombus as "man-eater" is reflected in many of the myths surrounding its birth. Francis Edgar Williams relates one of them, according to which Rhombe was originally a half-man, microcodile creature. One day, a woman disguised as a man broke into the ceremonial house where he was staying to look for fire. His anger was so great that he couldn't calm down until he had fed the unfortunate woman. Rhombe-crocodile was killed and the instrument was discovered in his belly; Rhombe-homme died in a fire and was transformed into a tree, the wood of which has since been used to carve rhombes. "(Breton Stéphane, In "La bouche cannibale", Gradhiva: revue d'histoire et d'archives de l'anthropologie, 1)
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