Crocodile ワニ像ぞう

Description

The vast Pacific Ocean is dotted with numerous islands of various sizes, which are collectively known as Oceania. Oceania can be roughly divided into three parts. The first is Micronesia, a collection of small, reef-like islands in the northern Pacific Ocean. The second is Melanesia, which is comprised of volcanic islands and islands with high mountains in the southern Pacific Ocean. The third is Polynesia, which extends over the eastern Pacific Ocean. Oceania was the last region in which humanity settled after leaving Africa in the distant past. Although all of its inhabitants originally crossed over from Asia, the region had almost no contact with the outside world after its settlement. A number of technologies, including metal tools, never developed in Oceania, and ancient and diverse cultures have been preserved in the region.

This crocodile statue comes from the Melanesian island of New Guinea. Peoples living along the Sepik River basin on New Guinea hold the belief that their ancestors were crocodiles. This statue is thought to have been created by members of such a group. It was carved without the use of metal tools. It was painted with meticulously detailed scales in red, yellow, and black over a white base coat. The Sepik River basin is home to a highly developed tradition of wooden sculptures depicting ancestors or spirits. Even among these, however, this crocodile statue is an example of exceptional workmanship.