Oceanic Artifact Listing: PRT37

Yuat Flute Stopper

The Yuat carved elaborate sacred flutes known as haiyangs, sometimes up to eight to ten feet in length. The flutes were considered to be sacred and were of huge
social, ceremonial and religious significance to the Yuats.

These sacred figures are thought to be children of the crocodile spirit, a powerful creative being that lets initiates be reborn by symbolically swallowing and ejecting them.

Assertive carved stops such as this were inserted into the opening of the flutes when they were not in use. This fine figure has bowed legs, crescent shaped eyes inset with haliotis shells and a long anthropomorphic head surmounted with cassowary feathers.

Origin: Yuat River, New Guinea   Length: - 25 inches     Circa: 1945 -60

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