Vintage Naga Shell Ear Cover, Male Figure, India (1639A)

Description

The Naga are a collection of tribal ethnic groups in India and Myanmar (Burma) with a similar culture including a headhunting tradition in its past. They believed head-taking was a sign of courage and the head taken increased both individual and collective tribal power. Their culture was ended by Christian missionary influence near the end of the 19^th century when headhunting tradition ceased. Secluded from other cultures until the middle of the 20th century, the Naga have excellent artistic skills using a large variety of materials: shells, wood, stone, glass, horns, tusks, bone, animal teeth and metal.

Nagaland conch shell ear covers are worn by men and attached to their pierced ears through a hole in the shell using thin natural fiber strings with glass, wood or bamboo bead stoppers. They are usually decorated with one of two stippled (engraved, marked with black dots) images. The “horn motif” is an abstraction of V-shaped horns of the Indian bison enclosing the buffalo’s neck and head. It is a symbol of wealth, prosperity. The stylized “human motif” is a standing male with raised arms, hands and fingers spread signifying the warrior’s status in the tribe.  

This earring with the stippled motif of a standing male was attached to pierced ears using natural fiber string and small bamboo piece as a stopper (now missing). He stands on separated slightly-angled legs with wider dot clusters to define the feet. He has a downward facing triangular upper body cut off at the waist by short horizontal lines. Above the upper-body, a very long neck and a round group of dots delineate the head. The upper arms are lowered from the shoulders with elbows pointing downward but the upper arms rise vertically to a cluster of dots indicating hands. There is also a stippled border outline that surrounds the entire piece.

Our ethnic Naga ear covers were collected in the 1970’s and date circa 1920-1930. This piece has a minor shell chip on the right but is excellent condition. It is mounted on a modern uniquely crafted acrylic base to fit any decor and is especially impressive as part of the three similar ear coverings with 1639B-GKE and 1640EKE.