This is an old, pre-contact fighting shield from the little known Bongos area that lies to the west of the Abelam and to the north of the Washkuk area. Those astute students of New Guinea art will recognize design elements from both of those neighboring cultures. The shield has great age and several old arrow tips still embedded in the wood. I of course photographed the shield with raking top-down light to emphasize the carving-in flat light of day the design does not pop-out nearly as much. The piece is 58" in height, dates to the early 20th century. sold