gorget
- Museum number
- Am,+.3677
- Description
-
Gorget made of stone (slate).
- Curator's comments
- From acquisition "Oh".
See Christy Correspondence:
Letter A E Douglass, New York/C H Read, 24 Nov 1887 and 'Invoice of Objects, worked in Stone & Shell by American Indians ... sent, in Exchange ... Selected from the Private Collection of A E Douglass Esq. in the Museum of Natural History, New York.
Douglass writes 'The "Gorget" is illustrated by several fine specimens, with respectively one, two or three perforations. These are mostly made of stratified slate, and are carefully finished. It is now conceded that they are breast ornaments, though, for a while, some writers were inclined to believe that the perforations were designed to smooth off and equalize bowstrings of hide and sinew, by passing these through the aperture. There are however no indications of wear, on or about these perforations, which would justify such an inference. Out of some 450 specimens I possess, only four exhibit any signs of wear.'
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1887
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Am,+.3677
- Additional IDs
-
CDMS number: Am1887C2.3677 (old CDMS no.)