bone daggers and a couple questions

Matt Splatt · 29th September 2007, 11:02 PM

I've had these for a couple years and I thought I'd put them up and see what you guys thought. These are from a collection that was put together in the forties and fifties. They are both look like they are stone worked to me. Are they Sepik? Are they Upper Sepik? Are they Cassowary tibiotarsus or made from Human femurs? Are these "husband killing" daggers? Thanks in advance for your expertise.

drdavid · 30th September 2007, 05:22 AM

Hi Matt
probably Cassowary. Most definitely not human femur, quickest reason (there are many) is human femur has a ball at one end and a bicondylar (two knuckles) appearance at the other end. They dont look like any other human bone I can think of either
cheers
drd

Jim McDougall · 30th September 2007, 06:16 AM

Thanks Doc!!!! Thats a relief!!!!
and Matt, whats this about 'husband killing daggers'. Thats really creepin me out. Where were these used? (pulleeze dont let exwives be reading this!)

Bill M · 30th September 2007, 07:53 PM

I agree with Dr David. Cassowary. Not Human. See carved cassowary shaman dagger in the first picture (Ex Erik Farrow)

Compare with the Kangling/Kung ling Tibetan "spirit trumpet" made from a human femur. Used in the Chod ritual 'Cutting off of Ego', and various dubthab rites.

http://www.art-pacific.com/artifacts...s/bneknife.htm

Matt Splatt · 30th September 2007, 08:30 PM

I'm going to do more work to ID the source of the bone, the more I look at them the less I think they are Cassowary. The bone is too thick and dense. Anyway I have a veterinarian friend who said she'll look at it and let me know what she thinks.
Don't worry Jim, ex-wives aren't allowed to use them!! In some Sepik communities if a married man broke taboo (primarily cheating on his wife) his wife could stab him in the heart while he slept. Divorce Court... Sepik style. The daggers used to do this were usually made from the femur of a deceased male relative. I wish I could cite this better but I'm in the middle of a move and all my books are boxed up. I found some ancient notes I made on a great article in the Metropolitan Museum Journal #24, pages 305-325, Mother Cassowary's Bones: Daggers of East Sepik Provence, Papua New Guinea. It has been five or six years since I've read the article but according to my cryptic and illegible notes it discusses, daggers, made of both cassowary and human bone, Sepik creation myth and the practice of Husband Killing. The journal is now licensed to JSTOR so I can't access it but maybe someone out there can help us out.

Jim McDougall · 1st October 2007, 04:23 AM

Hi Matt,
Thank you so much for the response and the incredibly interesting detail on this 'way' esoteric topic! I really appreciate your including the source material also. I can completely relate to your books being boxed up, as I am away from mine presently as well, and find myself desperately trying to recall certain entries, passages and files....and the old memory aint gettin' any better!

You're right, maybe somebody out there has access to the article or can add some detail.......help!

Again, extremely interesting and thank you,
All best regards,
Jim

29th September 2007, 11:02 PM	#1
Matt Splatt Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 31	bone daggers and a couple questions I've had these for a couple years and I thought I'd put them up and see what you guys thought. These are from a collection that was put together in the forties and fifties. They are both look like they are stone worked to me. Are they Sepik? Are they Upper Sepik? Are they Cassowary tibiotarsus or made from Human femurs? Are these "husband killing" daggers? Thanks in advance for your expertise. Attached Images Last edited by Matt Splatt; 29th September 2007 at 11:57 PM.

30th September 2007, 07:53 PM	#4
Bill M Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Georgia Posts: 1,599	I agree with Dr David. Cassowary. Not Human. See carved cassowary shaman dagger in the first picture (Ex Erik Farrow) Compare with the Kangling/Kung ling Tibetan "spirit trumpet" made from a human femur. Used in the Chod ritual 'Cutting off of Ego', and various dubthab rites. http://www.art-pacific.com/artifacts...s/bneknife.htm Attached Images Last edited by Bill Marsh; 30th September 2007 at 08:10 PM.

30th September 2007, 05:22 AM	#2
drdavid Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 369	Hi Matt probably Cassowary. Most definitely not human femur, quickest reason (there are many) is human femur has a ball at one end and a bicondylar (two knuckles) appearance at the other end. They dont look like any other human bone I can think of either cheers drd

30th September 2007, 06:16 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,748	Thanks Doc!!!! Thats a relief!!!! and Matt, whats this about 'husband killing daggers'. Thats really creepin me out. Where were these used? (pulleeze dont let exwives be reading this!)

30th September 2007, 08:30 PM	#5
Matt Splatt Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 31	I'm going to do more work to ID the source of the bone, the more I look at them the less I think they are Cassowary. The bone is too thick and dense. Anyway I have a veterinarian friend who said she'll look at it and let me know what she thinks. Don't worry Jim, ex-wives aren't allowed to use them!! In some Sepik communities if a married man broke taboo (primarily cheating on his wife) his wife could stab him in the heart while he slept. Divorce Court... Sepik style. The daggers used to do this were usually made from the femur of a deceased male relative. I wish I could cite this better but I'm in the middle of a move and all my books are boxed up. I found some ancient notes I made on a great article in the Metropolitan Museum Journal #24, pages 305-325, Mother Cassowary's Bones: Daggers of East Sepik Provence, Papua New Guinea. It has been five or six years since I've read the article but according to my cryptic and illegible notes it discusses, daggers, made of both cassowary and human bone, Sepik creation myth and the practice of Husband Killing. The journal is now licensed to JSTOR so I can't access it but maybe someone out there can help us out.

1st October 2007, 04:23 AM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,748	Hi Matt, Thank you so much for the response and the incredibly interesting detail on this 'way' esoteric topic! I really appreciate your including the source material also. I can completely relate to your books being boxed up, as I am away from mine presently as well, and find myself desperately trying to recall certain entries, passages and files....and the old memory aint gettin' any better! You're right, maybe somebody out there has access to the article or can add some detail.......help! Again, extremely interesting and thank you, All best regards, Jim