Two headhunters with weapons. One figure is standing behind the other, carrying a pole between them. Suspended from the pole is a severed head. Eyes of figures are inlaid shell, axe head is also shell. Men are wearing simple rope loincloths, and their bodies are incised with horizontal lines. Base carved with grid and geometric pattern. Unpainted, except for patches of red "blood" on the head and spear.
Donor says he purchased this new at the Koror Fair in 1956. According to Curator of Oceania Ethnology Adrienne L. Kaeppler, this sculpture is an excellent example of cultural identity in the 1950s. The Micronesians of Palau practiced the tradition of headhunting in the 18th century. This sculpture indicates that this heritage, while no longer practiced, was still part of the cultural identity.
