PAPUA NEW GUINEA KWANGA PEOPLE SEPIK RIVER DAGGER. Patinated Kwanga people dagger from the Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea. It is made from cassowary bone and features intricate carvings and black pigment accents. These daggers were used as weapons in close combat and also served as personal ornaments and ceremonial objects. The Kwanga people are an indigenous group residing in the Middle Sepik River area of Papua New Guinea. Cassowary bone, specifically from the tibiotarsus (lower leg bone). The dagger is adorned with carved abstract motifs and lines, highlighted with black pigment. It has a pointed tip and a handle, with the handle often made from the end of the bone, which may include the joint. Such daggers were used for stabbing in close combat and also as a ceremonial or ornamental object, but daggers like this held supernatural power and played a role in male initiation ceremonies. - Length: 12.25 inches. Estimate $300-400
