Shell Plaque (Barava)

Intricate openwork plaques served as land ownership records for clans in the western Solomon Islands. Each barava was created from a single piece of the hard, semi-fossilized shell of the giant clam (Tridacna gigas(). Using only bow drills, abrasives and saws made from vines kept continuously coated with sand and water, artists managed to create astonishingly detailed designs, often depicting lines of descent, from the hard material. Historically barava were stored in sacred locations such as shrines and grave sites, serving as powerful boundary markers to delineate prohibited or sanctioned areas.

The imagery of barava varies widely. Some plaques, as here, have primarily geometric designs, but others include stylized human figures that repeat in several bands. The two spiral forms at the top of this work possibly represent a pair of eyes. Circular motifs, such as those seen at the base of this work, are common and likely represent shell rings, also made from the dense, hard shell of the giant clam, which served as currency and prestige objects due to their durability.