Description (Physical description)
On catalogue card: 'Shell necklace / currency'.
Event Date
Author: maa

Description (Labels & Markings)
No labels or inscriptions.
Event Date 9/4/2009
Author: maa

Context (Other owners)
There is no label or inscription on this object to indicate its provenance. The Z number register (#5) notes that it is associated to the Edgell collection [William Henry Edgell, whose collection came to MAA in 1923 and in 1961].
Event Date 26/8/2015
Author: Lucie Carreau

Description (Physical description)
Strands of shell money, three attached at one end, five at the other (only two are attached at both ends). Mainly formed of white shell beads, with occasional sections decorated with black beads and red shell beads. Strung on a cord of vegetable fibre [Lucie Carreau, 26/08/2015].
Event Date 26/8/2015
Author: maa

Context (Analysis)
Multi-stranded shell money. There's evidence of 5 strands, but only three strands are complete across the length of the artefact. The strand is dominated by white Anadara disc beads ground around the peripheries, but there are also portions with alternating brown seeds and white disc beads. In some portions the dark seeds are replaced with dark blue glass beads. There are also some short lengths of red Chama beads (n=2). There is little evidence of wear, with the seeds and red beads having the non-lustrous appearance seen in these strands newly-produced on Malaita. The sheen is only picked up through time with skin/oil contact. The sizes are very regular also indicating this is a new strand.
Event Date 7/11/2017
Author: Katherine Szabo