Body Mask Item Number: Ie393 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Part of a tumbuan body mask/costume. Fibre mask, conical in shape with a sennit fringe around the bottom edge and outlining the central face. The entire body is painted with a faded white, black and red zigzag-like pattern. The face has a red triangular pattern outlined in black on a white ground. The eyes are black woven circles with holes in the middle; the red nose is woven and protrudes out with a long bundle of sennit hanging down from the tip. The brow consists of black bird skin while the painted forehead is lined with cassowary feathers and toped with a piece of cuscus skin. The inside is hollow.
Cultural Context
ceremonial
Item History
- Made in East Sepik, 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
- Body Mask
- Identification Number
- Ie393
- Type of Item
- mask
- Material
- rattan, bamboo grass, cuscus skin, oil, pigment, cassowary feather, skin and sennit fibre
- Manufacturing Technique
- woven, wrapped, painted, tied and cut
- Overall
- height 119.6 cm, width 54.3 cm, depth 78.2 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
- East Sepik, Papua New Guinea ?
When
- Ownership Date
- before March 21, 1980
- Acquisition Date
- on March 21, 1980
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 0620/0010