North Pakistan or Northeast Afghanistan (Nuristan), Kafirs: A ritual vessel, with ram’s head and sun wheel symbols.
North Pakistan or Northeast Afghanistan (Nuristan), Kafirs: A ritual vessel, with ram’s head and sun wheel symbols.
A typical ritual vessel of the Kafirs, called ‘Kos’. Vessels such as the present one were used during religious ceremonies to pour concentrated butter on fire. As a sacrificial offering to the numerous gods of the Kafirs.
These sacrificial walnut vessels were formerly manufactured only in one large valley in the southern Hindu Kush mountains, the Prasun valley, and then exported to other Kafir tribes living in other valleys.
A ‘Kos’ in characteristic form: carved from one walnut piece and dyed black, with carved ram’s head on the front and grip on the back. Decorated on both sides with linear and hatched bands, and with a sun wheel in chip-carving technique. With good, old usage patina, two tears (with holes from old original repairs), and some abrasion (to one sun wheel).
First half of the 20th century; H: c. 10 cm, L: 31 cm (from the ram’s head to the end of the handle); DM: 13.5 cm (upper margin).
Provenance: Alexander Posch Collection, Graz (for a more detailed explanation see cat. no. 199). (ME)
Lit.: 'Nuristan' by Klimburg & Janata, catalogue, fig. p. 20.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
26.05.2015 - 15:00
- Estimate:
-
EUR 800.- to EUR 1,200.-
North Pakistan or Northeast Afghanistan (Nuristan), Kafirs: A ritual vessel, with ram’s head and sun wheel symbols.
A typical ritual vessel of the Kafirs, called ‘Kos’. Vessels such as the present one were used during religious ceremonies to pour concentrated butter on fire. As a sacrificial offering to the numerous gods of the Kafirs.
These sacrificial walnut vessels were formerly manufactured only in one large valley in the southern Hindu Kush mountains, the Prasun valley, and then exported to other Kafir tribes living in other valleys.
A ‘Kos’ in characteristic form: carved from one walnut piece and dyed black, with carved ram’s head on the front and grip on the back. Decorated on both sides with linear and hatched bands, and with a sun wheel in chip-carving technique. With good, old usage patina, two tears (with holes from old original repairs), and some abrasion (to one sun wheel).
First half of the 20th century; H: c. 10 cm, L: 31 cm (from the ram’s head to the end of the handle); DM: 13.5 cm (upper margin).
Provenance: Alexander Posch Collection, Graz (for a more detailed explanation see cat. no. 199). (ME)
Lit.: 'Nuristan' by Klimburg & Janata, catalogue, fig. p. 20.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
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| Auction: | Tribal Art |
| Auction type: | Saleroom auction |
| Date: | 26.05.2015 - 15:00 |
| Location: | Vienna | Palais Dorotheum |
| Exhibition: | 20.05. - 26.05.2015 |