Maori Bone Sculpture of a Deity or Ancestor, 12th Century CE - 16th Century CE
Bone
2.75 x 6.5
PF.1082
Though the exact origins of this powerful piece are uncertain, the rich, warm patina of the surface is of a sort only acquired after centuries of handling and use. The...
Though the exact origins of this powerful piece are uncertain, the rich, warm patina of the surface is of a sort only acquired after centuries of handling and use. The Maori culture place great emphasis on the continuity of family, and on veneration of ancestors, sometimes passing sacred objects down through many generations. The accumulated energy of human life seems to radiate from this splendid piece. Its wisdom and its secrets seem far older than memory.