Iatmul Bridal Headdress (Ambusab)

Papua New Guinea

Mid-20th century

Fiber, shells

This ceremonial headdress is worn by a young bride when she first enters her new husband’s home. Shells, including the cowries that were once traded as currency, are worn in wedding rituals as part of a dowry and as an ornament of beauty. These shells represent both the family’s wealth and its clan affiliation.