Ceremonial basket
Decorative elements transformed objects of everyday use, such as baskets, into carriers of social prestige, which were mainly presented on ceremonial occasions. With the monkey heads and tufts of grass often attached to them, the owners could show off their courage, as these attributes were procured near an enemy village at the risk of their lives. The number of monkey heads or small depictions of people could also refer to the number of captured heads.
Decorative elements transformed objects of everyday use, such as baskets, into carriers of social prestige, which were mainly presented on ceremonial occasions. With the monkey heads and tufts of grass often attached to them, the owners could show off their courage, as these attributes were procured near an enemy village at the risk of their lives. The number of monkey heads or small depictions of people could also refer to the number of captured heads.
Collector:
Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf (1909 Wien - 1995 London) DNB
Object Name
Zeremonalkorb
Culture
Nagaland
Material/technology:
bamboo, skull of hanuman langur (semnopithecus entellus), grass, wood core,cotton, magpie feathers
Copyright
Weltmuseum Wien
Collection area
South Asia, Southeast Asia, Himalayas
Geography
Südasien/Subkontinent/Indien/Assam
Invs.
126373
