Flute Item Number: Ie387 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Flute consisting of a large piece of loose skinned bamboo, bound with two sets of crisscrossing fibre and three cassowary feather rings at the top, middle and bottom. The stop of the flute is a carved kneeling man facing outwards with a crested bird standing behind him with its claws ? resting on the man’s head. The bird has a large extending crest on its head, long groups of feathers hanging from the side of its head and carved stylized detailing on its body. Both the bird and the man have cowrie eyes; the bird also has four tassels down the back. The figures and the fibre ties on the bamboo are covered in a black pigment.
History Of Use
These flutes are ceremonially displayed and used as bride price.
Item History
- Made in Papua New Guinea ?
- Owned by William H. Birmingham before March 21, 1980
- Received from William H. Birmingham (Seller) and Museum of Anthropology Donations Fund (Funding source) on March 21, 1980
What
- Name
- Flute
- Identification Number
- Ie387
- Type of Item
- flute
- Material
- wood, sennit fibre, bamboo grass, cassowary feather, pigment and cowrie shell
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved, tied and painted
- Overall
- height 184.6 cm, width 19.6 cm, depth 14.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- New Guinea
- Previous Owner
- William H. Birmingham
- Received from
- William H. Birmingham (Seller) and Museum of Anthropology Donations Fund (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Papua New Guinea ?
When
- Ownership Date
- before March 21, 1980
- Acquisition Date
- on March 21, 1980
Other
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 0620/0004