Australia
1930s
Pearl shell, ochre
Height: 6¼ inches (15.9 cm); Width: 4¾ inches (12.1 cm)
Provenance: Jonathan Saussehrd, Australia
Longka longka are engraved pearl shells produced by Aboriginal communities of the Kimberley region of Western Australia, where the lustrous shell of the gold-lip oyster (Pinctada maxima) was worked into pubic coverings worn during ceremony and exchange. This example is engraved with a geometric maze pattern incorporating footprint motifs and dotted infill, the incised lines filled with ochre to enhance contrast against the shell's surface. Such pieces circulated widely through intertribal trade networks, moving far inland from the coast and carrying considerable social and ceremonial value at each exchange.
The engraving on this shell is executed with precision, the maze-form design organized into quadrants with arrow and footprint elements distributed across the field in a controlled compositional arrangement. Longka longka of this quality were among the most highly valued objects in Aboriginal exchange systems, functioning as markers of relationship, obligation, and ceremonial status between trading partners.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Australia
1930s
Pearl shell, ochre
Height: 6¼ inches (15.9 cm); Width: 4¾ inches (12.1 cm)
Provenance: Jonathan Saussehrd, Australia
Longka longka are engraved pearl shells produced by Aboriginal communities of the Kimberley region of Western Australia, where the lustrous shell of the gold-lip oyster (Pinctada maxima) was worked into pubic coverings worn during ceremony and exchange. This example is engraved with a geometric maze pattern incorporating footprint motifs and dotted infill, the incised lines filled with ochre to enhance contrast against the shell's surface. Such pieces circulated widely through intertribal trade networks, moving far inland from the coast and carrying considerable social and ceremonial value at each exchange.
The engraving on this shell is executed with precision, the maze-form design organized into quadrants with arrow and footprint elements distributed across the field in a controlled compositional arrangement. Longka longka of this quality were among the most highly valued objects in Aboriginal exchange systems, functioning as markers of relationship, obligation, and ceremonial status between trading partners.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
