Ornaments
Headhunting Ornaments & Ritual Adornments
Discover rare traditional ornaments from the Cordillera Mountains—ethnographic pieces once worn by warriors and ritual specialists. These artifacts, including boar tusk necklaces (known locally as boaya), tusk-crafted armbands, and ceremonial jewelry from Ifugao, Bontoc, and surrounding groups, served both symbolic and functional roles in tribal culture.
- Boaya necklace: Boar tusks and rattan beads—worn in rituals like begnas (Ifugao rice-growing ceremony) :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Tusk armbands: Crafted from curved tusks, indicating warrior prestige and headhunting prowess
- Ceremonial women’s ornaments: Worn in rites of passage, marriage, and ancestral veneration
Cultural & Ritual Context
In Cordilleran societies like the Ifugao and Bontoc, adornments made from animal parts, especially boar tusks, held symbolic weight. The boaya necklace—featuring tusks bound with rattan and runo reed—was worn during ritual celebrations such as the begnas, a rice-growing festival marking communal unity and spiritual harmony :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
Boar tusk armbands and tusk-based jewelry were also associated with warrior identity—signaling achievements in hunting and headhunting, serving as both trophies and protective talismans.
Additionally, women’s ceremonial ornaments, often made from bone, shell, or tusk, were crafted for rites of passage such as weddings and community feasts—strengthening familial and ancestral bonds.
| Ornament Type | Boar tusk necklace (boaya), tusk armband, ceremonial women’s pieces |
| Materials | Boar tusk, rattan, runo reed, beads, bone, shell |
| Provenance | Ifugao, Bontoc, Cordillera Region, Philippines |
Why collectors value these: distinctive craftsmanship, deep cultural meaning, and strong aesthetic presence. These ornaments are rare insights into Cordilleran ritual life and tribal hierarchy.
