Solomon Islands
Mid-19th century
Wood
Length: 51 in (129.5 cm)
Provenance: Abe and Paula Rosman, New York
The roromaraugi is a parrying club form distinctive to the Solomon Islands, its broad crescent-shaped head designed for deflecting blows rather than striking. Clubs of this type were carried by warriors of standing and served both practical and ceremonial functions within a society where weapon forms were closely tied to rank and identity. Abe and Paula Rosman were prominent anthropologists with deep fieldwork experience in Melanesia, and objects from their collection reflect sustained and informed engagement with Pacific material.
The head sweeps in a clean asymmetric arc from the shaft, the junction between blade and handle resolved without interruption, the form carved from a single piece of dense hardwood. A small figurative carving is present on the shaft, an addition that elevates this example above the standard club form. The surface carries its original patina throughout, free from restoration, the wood darkened to a consistent deep tone through age and handling.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Solomon Islands
Mid-19th century
Wood
Length: 51 in (129.5 cm)
Provenance: Abe and Paula Rosman, New York
The roromaraugi is a parrying club form distinctive to the Solomon Islands, its broad crescent-shaped head designed for deflecting blows rather than striking. Clubs of this type were carried by warriors of standing and served both practical and ceremonial functions within a society where weapon forms were closely tied to rank and identity. Abe and Paula Rosman were prominent anthropologists with deep fieldwork experience in Melanesia, and objects from their collection reflect sustained and informed engagement with Pacific material.
The head sweeps in a clean asymmetric arc from the shaft, the junction between blade and handle resolved without interruption, the form carved from a single piece of dense hardwood. A small figurative carving is present on the shaft, an addition that elevates this example above the standard club form. The surface carries its original patina throughout, free from restoration, the wood darkened to a consistent deep tone through age and handling.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
