Context (Amendments / updates)
The accession register #8 lists the Marten collection as 1909.110

The 1910 series of numbers has been used in lists of heelball rubbings of sacred boards by Hayter in 1930
Event Date 1909
Author: Rachel Hand

Context (Related Documents)
The catalogue card originally referred to 1909.110.70-71 as two sacred sticks but lists three items.
A later annotation in black added 'of wood raddled- Bull roarer' and listed three items as #70, 71 A and 71 and included dimensions. This is an incorrect number using '110' as the accession rather than a suffix. The origin of the #70-71 are unknown but appear to be written in F.J. Hayter's hand.
A later annotation in black ball point pen updates the accession number to 1909.179-180 and adds the description 'churinga' and 'flat lanceolate, with one perforated end, incised with concentric rings'.
A final edition in pencil by Alison McKeating in 1993 notes 'It is not clear what these nos are. The only churinga located are marked 1909.179 & 180.'
Card signed at bottom right in red ink by F.J,Hayter 3 March 1922'.


Event Date 1909
Author: Rachel Hand

Context (CMS Context)
Central Australia
Event Date 28/4/1993
Author: maa

Description (CMS Description)
Raddled, wooden bullroarer. Flat and lanceolate, with one perforated end. Incised with concentric ring. Churinga are inscribed with sacred designs, which represent a totemic ancestor. Aboriginal women and uninitiated boys are forbidden to see them. Their meaning is only fully divulged to men who are initiated into that totem and who are of elder status. Those with a hole bored in one end (stone ones excepted), for the attachment of a cord, are called bullroarers. When whirled round, they produce a characteristic sound believed to be " spirit talk"
Event Date 28/4/1993
Author: maa