Aboriginal Riji Pearl shell
Aboriginal Riji Pearl shell Bardi people, Dampier Peninsula Kimberley Western Australia
Object type: Pearl shell Pubic Cover
Locality: Dampier peninsula Kimberley Western Australia
Artist: Unknown Bardi Artist
Circa: 1950
Length: 17.5 cm
Description:
This superb Riji (Longka Longka) from the Bardi people exemplifies the refined geometric sensibility for which the region’s personal adornments are celebrated. The meticulously engraved interlocking key pattern is closely aligned with the visual language seen on Bardi dance boards, reflecting a broader ceremonial aesthetic that encodes identity, movement, and ancestral presence.
A ground abductor scar—carefully removed prior to the engraving of the surface—attests to early manufacture, almost certainly prior to 1960, when these objects were still produced exclusively for Indigenous use as traditional groin coverings. The top perforation, created by piercing rather than drilling, further supports an early date of origin and aligns with pre-contact and early mission-era production techniques.
The incised designs, executed with a traditional marsupial tooth tool, are filled with rich red ochre that enhances the rhythmic precision of the motif while retaining an unmistakable patina of age and cultural use.
Longka Longka—also known regionally as Riji or Jakoli depending on language group—are increasingly scarce in the market. Highly portable yet deeply emblematic, they represent one of the most elegant and culturally resonant forms of Aboriginal personal art made for Indigenous use. Examples of this calibre, with early features so clearly expressed, continue to be sought after by discerning collectors and institutions alike.
Price: $1600 AUD
