This beautiful statue was hand carved in black river stone as per ancient techniques by local artisans on the island of Papua.
It’s shaped like a coin to symbolize prosperity. Statues like these were used in marriage proposals since the people of Papua believed that the marriage would be as sturdy as the stone they used as the dowry.
Dowry is an ancient custom that continue to be expected and demanded as a condition to accept a marriage proposal in Papua. It’s a transfer of parental property, gifts, or money at the marriage of a daughter, transferred from the bride's family to the groom or his family. The custom of dowry is most common in cultures that expect women to reside with or near their husband's family.