Accession No

1966.6


Description

Necklace - Whale tooth neck ornament. 25 points


Place

Oceania; Polynesia; Fiji


Period


Source

Fell, Thomas Edward [collector]; Fell, Robert Andrew [donor]; Fell, Clare Isobel (Miss) [donor]


Department

Anth


Reference Numbers

1966.6


Cultural Affliation


Material

Ivory; Tooth; Plant; Fibre


Local Term

?Waseisei [Fiji Project]; ?Wasekaseka [Fiji Project]


Measurements


Events

Context (CMS Context)
Collected by: Fell.T.E
Event Date 13/6/1988
Author: maa


Description (CMS Description)
Whale tooth neck ornament. 25 points
Event Date 13/6/1988
Author: maa


Context (CMS Context)
Annual Report on the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 1965-66 [28 November 1966], List of Accessions to the Museum, 1965-66: 'Fell, Mr R.A., Mr J.W., and Miss C. I.: […] wooden vessels, Melanesia (66.4-8).' (1966:3).
Event Date 19/10/2012
Author: Lucie Carreau


Context (CMS Context)
Catalogue card reads [handwritten in blue pen:] '66.6 OCEANIA FIJI. Whale tooth necklace 25 points. d.d. C. Fell. Coll. T. E. Fell col. See Fiji, 1920s.' [stamped in black ink:] 'CUMAA 13 JUN 1988 TRANSCRIBED'. A small round red sticker pasted on the card.
Event Date 19/10/2012
Author: Lucie Carreau


Description (CMS Description)
Necklace (waseisei) formed of 25 tusks carved from whale teeth, pierced and the top and strung on a cord of 3-ply plaited hibiscus fibre. An additional length of hibiscus fibre cord is woven around the cord and between the top of the tusks. The neck cord is tied. The tusks all show a vertical reddish mark about 5 cm from the top – maybe the sign that an additional cord was woven around them? The tusks are curving upwards and tapering. The tip of twelve tusks is chipped (from the left, no 3,7, 8, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23). The tusks are of a light cream colour at the front and a rich honey colour at the back. The back of the tusks are severely scratched. A small plastic label attached to the cord reads [handwritten in black ink:] ‘Fiji’ on one side and ’66.6’ on the other side. '1966.6' inscribed in black ink on the side of the first tusk from the right.
Event Date 19/10/2012
Author: maa


FM:80206

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