Accession No
Z 5415 C
Description
Arrow. Point of palm wood with originally 14 rows of four bone barbs (some missing now), lashed with plant fibre. Lower part of the point incised with lines. Point inserted into bamboo shaft, secured with plant fibre binding covered in dark gum or resin. Shaft has five sections of incised black lines. Section nearest point is decorated with a triangular pattern repeated three times. The transition to the butt is bound with plant fibre. The butt is carved with a nock.
Place
Oceania; Melanesia; New Guinea; Papua New Guinea; Autonomous Region of Bougainville; ?Buka
Period
Source
?Bartholemew (Mrs) [vendor]
Department
Anth
Reference Numbers
Z 5415 C
Cultural Affliation
Material
Bamboo; Wood; Bone; Plant fibre; ?Resin; ?Gum
Local Term
Measurements
12mm x 1392mm
Events
Context (Display)
Little holes drilled in the shaft suggest that this arrow was exhibited in the past.
Event Date
Author: Lucie Carreau
Description (Physical description)
Catalogue card for Z 5415: '8 arrows - bamboo, with nicely carved wooden heads'.
Event Date
Author: Lucie Carreau
Description (Physical description)
Z Register for Z 5415 A-H: 8 arrows'.
Event Date
Author: maa
Description (Physical description)
Arrow. Point of palm wood with originally 14 rows of four bone barbs (some missing now), lashed with plant fibre. Lower part of the point incised with lines. Point inserted into bamboo shaft, secured with plant fibre binding covered in dark gum or resin. Shaft has five sections of incised black lines. Section nearest point is decorated with a triangular pattern repeated three times. The transition to the butt is bound with plant fibre. The butt is carved with a nock.
Event Date 2/3/2026
Author: Lucie Carreau
Context (Acquisition Details)
The entry for Z 5415 A-H in the Z register suggests that the eight arrows were purchased from Mrs Bartholemew in 1908. However, only one (Z 5415 G) bears a label matching this provenance.
By the time the Z numbers were given in the 1920s, some of the arrows had already become dissociated from their acquisition history. It is thus possible that not all the arrows from the Z 5415 A-H bundle were purchased from Mrs Bartholemew. For those not bearing a label, 'Mrs Bartholemew' has been retained as a source but queried, until more information comes to light.
Event Date 2/3/2026
Author: Lucie Carreau
Context (Amendments / updates)
When it was entered into the Z register, this arrow was described as originating from Vanuatu [New Hebrides] but was given no further information in terms of geographical provenance or collection history.
However, on four of the eight arrows originally registered as Z 5415 (including this one), the incised decoration on the shaft makes Buka a more likely geographical provenance. The place field has been amended accordingly.
Event Date 2/3/2026
Author: Lucie Carreau
FM:328010
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