Ifugao Headhunter's Status Symbol — Armband Basket Relic

Description

A very rare, one-of-a-kind Ifugao headhunter's status symbol — round woven armbands used by Ifugao headhunters during a headhunting raid, and again during the celebration of a successful hunt, which included ritual ceremony, sacrificial offering, and dancing.

Provenance: Ifugao people of North Luzon, Philippines. From the Beyer Family Collection, acquired from Henry Beyer (grandson of Dr. Henry Otley Beyer, "the Father of Philippine Anthropology"), then acquired by William Galvin and kept in his collection for 12 years before passing, four years later, to a collector/dealer.

Age: circa late 1800s–1900s. Mounted on 25" x 7" wood with a stick containing 25 armband baskets. Weight approximately 1kg (up to 2kg packed for transport).