A Nicobar Coconut Head

This rare and charming carved head is part of a small known corpus. There are two related examples in the Yale University Art Gallery and two in the Pitt Rivers Museum. The two in the Pitt Rivers Museum have acquisiton dates of 1884 and were part of the founding collection. Stylistcally they relate to carved wooden figures from Nicobar Islands in the British Museum that also date to the mid 19th century. The purpose they served is unknown.