Door Board
Attributed to
Fatupnok
(Papuan)
Dateearly 20th century
MediumWood and pigment
DimensionsOverall: 125 1/2 × 20 × 2 inches (318.77 × 50.8 × 5.08 cm)
Credit LineGift of Frank and Manetta Binney
Object number2001.20
On View
Not on viewCollections
DescriptionA large hole pierces the bottom of this tall, relatively flat door board, and the object comes to a point at the top. Carved geometric patterns painted black, white, and red decorate the front fo the door board. The back of the object is uncarved and unpigmented.Gallery LabelA Telefomin man named Fatupnok probably carved this door board in the 1930s. Used as a doorway to a house, it provided protection from enemies. The small size of the entrance hole prevented individuals from entering the dwelling with a drawn bow and arrow or a raised war club. The board's black, white, and red patterns represent powerful ancestors who helped protect the house.
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