Stone axe f- north coast - kapak - West Papua (No reserve price)

This small yet remarkably rare axe originates from the inland food-garden regions behind the north coast of Papua. According to the people who entrusted it to me, the tool had been used for generations in their ancestral gardens—an area where traditional horticulture, forest knowledge and spiritual practices remain deeply intertwined.

Although modest in size, the axe carries the unmistakable character of an object shaped by time, labour and cultural continuity. Its stone blade bears the smooth wear of long use; the handle shows the patina of countless hands. Tools of this form were essential in everyday gardening work—clearing, planting, shaping the fertile soil—yet very few have survived in such intact condition. Most were used until they disappeared into the earth itself.

Because of its authentic provenance and the context in which it was offered to me, the axe is not merely a utilitarian artifact but a piece of cultural history. It represents a way of working the land that predates metal tools and modern agriculture, and it embodies the practical intelligence of the communities who depended on it.

Today, such tools are extremely hard to find. Many have entered museums or private collections, and examples still connected to a clear story of origin are particularly sought after.

A rare opportunity to acquire an original, well-preserved horticultural axe—an evocative museum object with strong cultural authenticity and historical depth.

Condition: Excellent patina, minor age wear consistent with use

Packed with care
Sending worldwide

Sold by Koos Knol, ethnographer and anthropologist, dealer of Papua Tribal Art for more than 30 years, expert and author of the book “Papua Blues”, written in Dutch. (Maybe in English next year.)  Published end of October 2024
A book about inside stories, a book that deals with the many encounters with special people in West Papua, the impressive experiences that the author has, about special encounters with men and women who tell him about secret things, about ethnographic objects and initiate him into the rituals and ceremonies.
A must have for collectors, ethnographers, ethnologists, anthropologists and museums
 
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