Shield from Papua new Guinea. The shield has been painted with the Phantom character carrying an axe in one hand and a gun in the other.

Collection type: Object
Description: Shield from Papua new Guinea. The shield has been painted with the Phantom character carrying an axe in one hand and a gun in the other.
Long description: Shield from Papua New Guinea. The shield has been painted with the Phantom character carrying an axe in one hand and a gun in the other. The shield is made from wood and has been painted in yellow, red, purple, black, blue and grey. The top of the shield is decorated with a row of black cassowary feathers which have been attached to the top of the shield with mud. A row of circular perforations have been made below the cassowary feathers but can only be seen from the inside of the shield. They look to have been filled with mud from the front. Below this is a border of faint yellow painted zig-zags and a yellow stripe. Below this the word 'Phantom' has been painted in comic book style in red paint. The main image on the shield is that of the cartoon character the Phantom, who featured in a long-running cartoon series in the national newspaper, the Post Courier. He is wearing his purple super hero suit with black eye mask and blue and black striped pants. He is shown in full. In his right hand he is carrying a silver gun, a pistol and in his left hand he is brandishing an axe. The background has been painted in yellow. The very bottom of the shield has been left unpainted. A green metal vehicle number plate from Papua New Guinea has been nailed to the bottom of the shield. The number plate is 135 mm wide by 375 mm long. The number plate is inscribed with 'P 3339'. the number plate itself is rusty and corroded. To the left of the number plate a nail and washer has been hammered into the shield and painted red. There are small purpose made perforations throughout the shield creating geometric designs on the painted design of the phantom. On the left hand side of the shield two holes have been made towards and the top and bottom of the shield through which has been threaded two lengths of metal wire. In the centre of the shield four perforations have been made through which metal wire has been inserted creating a cross and square pattern. At the back of the shield further metal wire has been attached to the wire threaded through the centre of the shield and wrapped in blue cotton textile to form a handle. The reverse of the shield is undecorated. The shield shows signs of use in battle with many holes and general damage to the front. [FC 30/09/2009]
Geographical reference: Papua New Guinea
Oceania > Melanesia > Papua New Guinea
Cultural groups: Wahgi
Person: Field collector Chris Boylan; PRM source Chris Boylan
Date / Period: Date made: Before 2009
Acquisition information: Purchased: 07/09/2009
Materials and processes: Material Wood Plant, Material Plant Fibre, Material Pigment, Material Metal, Material Metal Wire, Material Cassowary Feather Bird, Process Carved, Process Painted, Process Decorated, Process Tied, Process Knotted, Process Recycled
Dimensions: Width: max 563 mm, Length: max 1665 mm excluding feathers
Object numbers: Accession number: 2009.139.3
Associated publications: This object features in the Museum's audio tour produced in 2010 [HH 05/07/2010] Illustrated in colour as Figure 107 on page 176 of Fetish Modernity, eds. Anne-Marie Bouttiaux, Anna Seiderer and Noemi del Vecchio, a catalogue for the exhibition of the same name and held at Tervuren from April- September 2011. The caption reads: 'Battle Shield with contemporary decoration, illustrating the cartoon hero Phantom. Wahgi Valley, Papua New Guinea. PITT RIVERS MUSEUM, OXFORD, Inv. 2009.139.3. Acquired in 2009. Wood, plant fibre, metal, metal wire, cassowary feather. H. 166.5 cm, W. 53.3 cm The blue car number plate at the base of the shield is probably to strengthen it.' [MOBB 13/11/2018]

Search terms: Weapon, Shield