helmet;
armour
- Museum number
- Oc.8045
- Description
-
Helmet (te baratekora) made of coconut fibre cord (coir) and tropic bird feathers. The coir is plaited into coils which are secured together by closely-woven, two-ply twisted interlinking cords of coconut fibre. Tropic bird feathers are fed through a hole in the dome and are secured inside with European string (?).
- Production date
- 19thC(early)-19thC(mid) (before 1873)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 45 centimetres
-
Width: 44 centimetres
-
Depth: 20 centimetres
- Curator's comments
-
Christy collection registration slip, written in 1873?:
Gilbert Is.
Conical cap of nealty worked cocoa-nut fibre. Round hole in the apex, through which a couple of bunches of red feathers from the tail of the Tropic bird are passed.
The cap is formed by coiling a stoutish cord on itself, and closely working finer string in & out across the coils.
-
Notes from Pacific Presences (Jan 2014):
'Gilbert' in different handwriting on the registration slip. Niue also use a lot of tropic bird feathers.
The string inside that attaches the feathers looks like old museum string. Therefore the feathers could have been moved down after arrival at the Museum. Very white and robust quill. Redness on feather remains still visible. These feathers would have been trimmed originally.
Very fine and tight weaving, 2cm width of each band.
Fabric label 8045
Perhaps not used in combat as very fine work and feathers indicate a helmet of great importance. A tropic bird only has two tail feathers.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1983–1986 16 Dec-29 Jun, London, BM, Museum of Mankind, Pattern of islands: Micronesia yesterday and today
- Acquisition date
- 1873
- Acquisition notes
- Presented by A.W. Franks Esq. Sept 15 1873
Bought of Mr King
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Oc.8045
- Additional IDs
-
CDMS number: Oc1873C1.8045 (old CDMS no.)
