Accession No
Z 2783.11
Description
Tattooing adze or chisel with turtleshell blade
Place
Oceania; Polynesia; Fiji
Period
Source
von Hügel, Anatole (Baron) [collector and donor]
Department
Anth
Reference Numbers
Z 2783.11; MAA: 1923.H.1e
Cultural Affliation
Material
Bamboo; Tortoise-shell; Plant; Fibre
Local Term
iQia [Fijian Art research project]
Measurements
Events
Context (CMS Context)
Catalogue card 1 reads [stamped in black ink:] 'Z 2783 FIJI'. [typed:] '3 Levuka, Ovalau Isld: 11 Raki Raki, Na Vua Vua. 5 Viti Levu. Ra Province Rakiraki. Tattooing implements, case 2, 19 in number:- Taken from some of the Baron von Hugel's notes, - "Bamboo (bitu) case with set of 10 tattooing implements, bati ni veggie "Teeth of the tattooing" (place) Na via via, Raki rake Viti Levu." Case made of the lower part of the internode of a bamboo 240 mm long by 80 mm diameter. "Presented 1875 by the woman who had been in the habit of using them. At this date girls were occasionally tattooed in the Ra district, Viti Levu, but in the interior of the island the practice had not then been abandoned." A.P. Maudslay 3, Von Hugel 11, A.H. Gordon 3, Dr: Brady 1, Unrecorded 1' [stamped in blue ink in the bottom right corner:] 'SHOW CASE 2'. A small round red sticker pasted to the front of the card.
Catalogue card 2 reads [stamped in black ink:] 'Z 2783 FIJI'. [typed:] 'Tattooing implements, 19 in number, a to o, 11 von Hugel, 3 A.P. Maudslay, 3 A.H. Gordon, 1 Dr: Brady, 1 Uncertain. [added in pencil:] = 19. 1923- H 12, 11, 1?, 1?, 19, 1a, 14, 1c, 1d, 1k,1 e; OX 939 H, note registered; 1884-M3, G2, M1, G1, M2'. [added in blue pen:] '1902 332 = Z 2783 (14)' and '1891 42 (1) = Z 2783 (16)'. [added in pencil:] '1891.89.4'. [in pencil in the bottom left corner:] '2/5'. [stamped in the bottom right corner:] 'SHOW CASE NUMBER 2'. A small round red sticker pasted to the front of the card. Black and white photographs of the objects stapled to the back of the card.
Catalogue card 3 reads [handwritten in black ink:] '3 LEVUKA, OVALAU Isld; 11 RAKI RAKI / NA VUA VUA; ?5 VITI LEVU RA PROVINCE RAKI RAKI'. Tattooing implements, Case 2, 19 in number: - Taken from some of the Baron von Hugel's notes, - "Bamboo (bitu) case with set of 10 tattooing implements, bati ni veggie "Teeth of the tattooing" (place) Na via via, Raki rake Viti Levu." Case made of the lower part of the internode of a bamboo 240 mm long by 80 mm diameter. "Presented 1875 by the woman who had been in the habit of using them. At this date girls were occasionally tattooed in the Ra district, Viti Levu, but in the interior of the island the practice had not then been abandoned." A.P. Maudslay 3, Von Hugel 11, A.H. Gordon 3, Dr: Brady 1, Unrecorded 1' Show Case 2.
Catalogue card 4 reads [handwritten in black ink:] 'Z. 2783. Tattooing implements, 19 in number, a to o, 11 von Hugel, 3 A.P. Maudslay, 3 A.H. Gordon, 1 Dr: Brady, 1 Uncertain. Show Case number 2' [added in pencil:] = 19. 1923- H 12, 11, 1?, 1?, 19, 1a, 14, 1c, 1d, 1k,1 e; OX 939 H, note registered; 1884-M3, G2, M1, G1, M2. 1902-332. 1891-89-4'. In pencil in the bottom left corner:] '2/5'.
Event Date
Author: maa
Description (CMS Description)
Tattooing implement.
Event Date 5/3/1987
Author: maa
Context (CMS Context)
Labels & inscriptions: 1923.H.1[?]e' inscribed in white ink on the haft. 'Z. 2783 (11)' inscribed in white ink on the haft.
Event Date 25/11/2013
Author: Lucie Carreau
Description (CMS Description)
Tattooing adze. Haft of bamboo. Head of turtle-shell, oval in shape, carved with four teeth (one broken). The top of the head pierced with a round hole through which passes several lengths of single strands of coir. The binding continues for about 7 cm down the haft, forming a diamond pattern. Black pigments visible on the haft, head and binding.
Event Date 25/11/2013
Author: maa
Context (CMS Context)
Exhibited: 'Chiefs & Governors: Art and power in Fiji', Cambridge MAA, 7 June 2013 - 19 April 2014.
Event Date 25/4/2014
Author: Remke van der Velden
Research Visit (Anthropology
Photographs)
RES..2532 | Pacific tattooing with am emphasis on Fiji and Papua New Guinea. Julia is a PNG tattooing artist who has marked the Fijians
Event Date 8/11/2018
Author: rachel hand
FM:79925
Images (Click to view full size):