ornament

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Object Type
Museum number: Am.8738
Description: Ornament; made of wood; bark and wood framework in the shape of a fish, front covered with feathers.
Production ethnic group: Made by: Coeruna; Made by: Witoto
Production date: 1872 (before)
Excavator/field collector: Field Collection by: Johann Baptist von Spix; Field Collection by: Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius
Findspot: Found/Acquired: Caquetá, River (?); Found/Acquired: Brazil (country)
Materials: feather; wood; bark
Dimensions: Height: 17 centimetres; Width: 9 centimetres; Depth: 0.75 centimetres
Curator's comments: Information provided by Murui Muina elders and researcher Juan Alvaro Echeverri. Feather fish. Men wore them over their backs to represent the wings of a bird during the yadiko dance. Feathers are closely associated with music and performance among the Murui-Muina. They used to take care of the birds and feed them certain foods to improve the tones of their plumage. Materials: feathers of the donuyi bird and bark cloth.
Location: Not on display
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1872
Department: Africa, Oceania and the Americas
Registration number: Am.8738
Additional IDs: CDMS number: Am1872C1.8738 (old CDMS no.)

Free entry