Tapa Cloth Item Number: Ii5 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Tapa cloth with geometric patterns of straight lines and zigzags. Predominant patterns are width-wise with dark brown diagonal lines, zigzags, and triangles.
History Of Use
Fine mats used as garments by both sexes throughout Polynesia. In Samoa, men and women wore voluminous tapa skirts on special occasions.
Narrative
Alan Sawyer notes: Late 19th century; sold by the Peabody Museum as 'duplicate materials' many years ago; purchased by the donors from a New York dealer in 1963.
Item History
- Made in Samoa before 1900
- Owned by Peabody Museum
- Owned by Alan R. Sawyer and Erika H. Sawyer before December 27, 1979
- Received from Alan R. Sawyer (Donor) and Erika H. Sawyer (Donor) on December 27, 1979
What
- Name
- Tapa Cloth
- Identification Number
- Ii5
- Type of Item
- tapa cloth
- Material
- paint and paper mulberry bark
- Manufacturing Technique
- pounded, painted and rubbed
- Overall
- height 53.0 cm, width 91.5 cm
Who
- Culture
- Samoan
- Previous Owner
- Peabody Museum, Alan R. Sawyer and Erika H. Sawyer
- Received from
- Alan R. Sawyer (Donor) and Erika H. Sawyer (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Samoa
When
- Creation Date
- before 1900
- Ownership Date
- before December 27, 1979
- Acquisition Date
- on December 27, 1979
Other
- Item Classes
- textiles
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 0582/0004