head-ornament
- Museum number
- Oc1906,1013.796
- Description
-
Circular woven head ornament made of cane strips with central circular cut-out and triangular cut-out at one side. Unwoven areas at edge of triangular cut out supported by horizontal canes; one side decorated with criss-cross pattern of twisted plant fibre cord. Horizontal canes woven with vertical bands of criss-crossed cane strips. Dark brown in colour.
- Production date
- 19thC-20thC(early)
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 47 centimetres (top of V cut out to bottom)
-
Thickness: 0.70 centimetres
- Curator's comments
-
See C.G.Seligmann (aka Seligman) "The Melanesians of British New Guinea", Cambridge, 1910, p.264. The "rupu" (term used in Register, where said to be used in relation to marea ceremonies) appears to be same as or very similar to the "lopo" described by Seligmann. (AMD,5/1999; information from D.Starzecka, Ethno.Dept.).
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BM register for Oc1906,1013.794-6 reads: 'Rupu used in old marea ceremonies; when leaving marea for the first time after new marea has been built'. Comment by Heather Donoghue, Ph.D candidate, UEA, 2020.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1906
- Acquisition notes
- Acquired during the Daniels Ethnographical Expedition to British New Guinea 1903-1904.
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Oc1906,1013.796