Hand-carved more than a century ago by the Akha peoples of the Yunnan highlands, this rare tribal carrying yoke reflects the resourcefulness and hunting traditions of life in the remote mountain villages of Southwest China. Unlike common agricultural yokes, its dramatic curved form was specifically designed for transporting wild game caught along forest snare paths, balancing both weight and movement across rugged terrain. Shaped from a single piece of dense indigenous hardwood, the piece bears the smooth wear and weathered surface of long use. Both sculptural and deeply functional, it stands today as a remarkable artifact of tribal craftsmanship, survival, and ceremonial identity within Akha hunting culture.

“These various curved yokes were for carrying game, killed by snares set-up on the game paths.” – Clayton Korver