CEREMONIAL OR PRESTIGE AXE The handle is decorated with wickerwork in black stone and braided fibre. The polished black stone blade. These axes are very distinctive with their wooden fin counterbalanced on the opposite side of the blade. They have a very complex and decorative cane binding and decorative cane binding around the handle. Earlier axes like this example were used in warfare and had a blade thicker than the more recent one produced in the 1950s. The axe had a multitude of uses in the Highlands. It was used to remove a finger joint as a sign of mourning after the death of a loved one. The work and ceremonial axe were used as currency to buy other products such as salt, body oil and shellfish, which were traded in the region over considerable the region over considerable distances. Axes with pigs and shells were also used as wedding prizes or as gifts to the bride. or as gifts to the bride's family at the wedding. These ceremonial axes were and still are worn on their belts for decoration on special occasions, such as songs or dance performances. Steel axes probably did not arrive in large numbers in the region until the 1940s. Stone axes were still being produced for traditional use as late as the 1950s in the Mount Hagen region and as late as the 1960s in the most remote parts of the region. in the more remote areas of the west. Raffia and stone. L. 100 cm Papua New Guinea, first half of the 20th century A Papua New Guinea ceremonial axe. In the Western Highlands or Mt Hagen there were also ceremonial axes. These axes are very distinctive with their counter balanced wooden fin at the opposite side of the blade. They have very intricate and decorative cane binding around the haft. The earlier axes like this example were used in warfare and had a thicker blade than more recent one produced in the 1950's. The axe has a multitude of uses in the Highlands. It was used to remove a joint of a finger as a sign of mourning the death of a relative. Both the work and the ceremonial axe was used as money to buy other commodities like salt, body oil and shells, which were traded into the area over considerable distances. Axes with pigs and shells were also used in brideprice or gifts to the brides family at marriage. These ceremonial axes were and still are worn in the belt for adornment on special occasions particularly singsings or dance displays. Steel axes probably did not come into the area in great numbers until the 1940's. Stone axes were still being produced for traditional use until 1950's in Mt Hagen area and even until 1960's in the remoter areas to the west. First half of the 20th Century. Provenance Collection of Missionary Ottmar Maier, built up between 1958-1978, most of which is held by the Fur Volkerkunde Museum in Frankfurt.