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Bone Mango Spoon

Bone Mango Spoon
Map
  • Country: Solomon Islands
  • Source: Field collected 2012
  • Size (cm): 13
  • Material: Bone

Melanesia, Solomon Islands, mid-20th century. A long bone spoon with a carved figural head at the top of the handle, used for scraping mangoes, mounted on a stand.

Utensils carved with human heads are common in the Solomon Islands, where carved ancestor faces add protection and prestige to everyday objects. Field collected, 2012.