Double Asmat Rider

The members of the Asmat tribe believe that they arose out of wood. Therefore, wood is sacred for them. Much of the highly original art of the Asmat is symbolic of warfare, headhunting, and warrior-ancestor veneration. For centuries the Asmat were preoccupied with the necessity of appeasing ancestor spirits, producing a wealth of superbly designed shields, canoes, sculptured figures, and drums. This piece embodies the Asmat sense of ancestor worship as it depicts a hunting party consisting of two brave warrior figures and their almost mythic steed; part horse, part reptile. Their hair is most likely horse hair, and the steed