A Sepik cassowary bone dagger

Papua New Guinea, Sepik Region, Abelam people, early 20th century

The dagger has finely incised geometric patterns on the front, including maze-like motifs and zigzag lines, characteristic of the Abelam style. The upper section is slightly flared and transitions into a pointed tip. The back remains uncarved, with a consistent warm patina indicative of age and use and is numbered MB135 in ink near the base.

H. 16 cm

Provenance:
• Missiehuis Borgerhout, Belgium
• Private collection, the Netherlands

Bone daggers in the Sepik region are traditionally crafted from the thigh bone of the cassowary bird (moruk in Tok Pisin), a large, flightless bird native to Papua New Guinea. These daggers, often adorned with intricate ancestor and clan designs, reflect the cultural and symbolic significance of the weapon. Warriors carried these multipurpose tools in a woven band on the upper arm or on a cord around the neck for use in close-quarters combat, hunting, digging, ceremonial sacrifices, and as decoration during singsing (dancing) events. The blunt-edged, sharp-tipped daggers were primarily used for stabbing, often delivering a final blow to an enemy incapacitated by spears or arrows or in stealthy assassinations.

Daggers were also considered powerful supernatural objects, playing key roles in male initiation and other ceremonies. They were worn as personal ornaments, and those with blunt tips likely served ceremonial purposes. When the tip became too damaged, the dagger was often repurposed into a lime spatula or thatch-sewing tool. Although cassowary leg bones were the primary material, in rare cases, daggers were made from the femurs of ancestors or enemies.

For a comparable dagger in The Metropolitan Museum, New York, see inv. no. [1974.29.1H](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/309918).