Australia
19th–early 20th century
Hardwood
Length: 7 inches (17.8 cm)
Provenance: English trade
Message sticks were carried by designated messengers across community and political boundaries to coordinate gatherings, request resources, issue demands, and negotiate alliances between groups. This example is engraved across its full surface with concentric circle motifs, a design element widely used in Aboriginal visual traditions to represent places, waterholes, or ceremonial sites depending on context. Unlike restricted sacred objects, message sticks were intended to be seen and presented publicly, often read at a distance by recipients familiar with the sender's conventions.
The stick's oblong form and all-over engraved decoration are consistent with southeastern Australian examples collected during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The concentric circles are deeply incised and evenly spaced, indicating a practiced hand, and the surface has developed a warm reddish-brown patina through age and handling.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Australia
19th–early 20th century
Hardwood
Length: 7 inches (17.8 cm)
Provenance: English trade
Message sticks were carried by designated messengers across community and political boundaries to coordinate gatherings, request resources, issue demands, and negotiate alliances between groups. This example is engraved across its full surface with concentric circle motifs, a design element widely used in Aboriginal visual traditions to represent places, waterholes, or ceremonial sites depending on context. Unlike restricted sacred objects, message sticks were intended to be seen and presented publicly, often read at a distance by recipients familiar with the sender's conventions.
The stick's oblong form and all-over engraved decoration are consistent with southeastern Australian examples collected during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The concentric circles are deeply incised and evenly spaced, indicating a practiced hand, and the surface has developed a warm reddish-brown patina through age and handling.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
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