Flute
In many parts of the Sepik River and Highlands regions of Papua New Guinea, men create sacred flutes from bamboo. These side-blown flutes can only be played by men in ceremonial contexts and may not even be seen by women and children. This example was the voice of a type of spirit called brag.
Artwork Details
- Title: Flute
- Date: late 19th or early 20th century
- Geography: New Britain, Papua New Guinea
- Culture: Papua New Guinean (Tolai People)
- Medium: Bamboo
- Dimensions: 25 5/16 × 1 1/8 × 1 1/8 in. (64.3 × 2.9 × 2.9 cm)
- Classification: Aerophone-Blow Hole-end-blown flute (vertical)
- Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
- Object Number: 08.254.1
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
More Artwork
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.