necklace
- Museum number
- Am1925,0704.9
- Description
-
Necklace made of dolphin teeth (Inia Geoffrensis) and plant fibres
- Production date
- 1925 (before)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 30 centimetres
-
Width: 25 centimetres
-
Depth: 1.50 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Information provided by Murui Muina elders and researcher Juan Alvaro Echeverri. The elders explained that tooth necklaces carry the powers of the animals used for their production, and humans can use them to acquire those powers and “think” like the animal. This necklace was identified as made from river dolphin teeth, or bufeo (Inia geoffrensis). According to the elders, this item still holds its power and is “alive”. Objects made out of dolphin remains were uncommon among the Murui Muina as these animals live in larger rivers far from their territory. Murui Muina name: noikiya izife
- Location
- On display (G24/dc4)
- Acquisition date
- 1925
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Am1925,0704.9