INDONESIAN HEAD HUNTER'S DAGGER (ASMAT)

Description

S156E, The tassels hanging from the braided belt cord are made of red and gray seed, black tubular quills and Cassowary feathers. The strings and cords are made of vegetable fibers. Blade is 16" long, tassels are 12" long. Fine native craftsmanship. Circa 1890 or so, inscription reads HEAD HUNTERS DAGGER ASMAT INDONESIA CASSOWARY BIRD FEATHERS LEG BONE. Very good condition throughout, obviously a ceremonial weapon for some purpose other than war, Indonesia adheres to ancient custom and remote tribes still do. A famous sporting event there called THE DEAD CASSOWARY RACE, in which young warriors must run a race carrying a dead Cassowary on their backs, the winner's tribe gets everyone else's dead birds as prize, no small reward in a place where chicken meat is scarce and of high value. All original, ship weight is 4 pounds.