Decorated Skull Item Number: 2748/6 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Decorated skull covered in clay with tight curls of human hair. A red clay face, formed onto a toothless human skull and decorated with brown, beige, and reddish orange facial tattoo, has Cowrie shell eyes, three rows of brown seeds implanted at the hairline of long twisted black hair locks, and circular bone earrings tied into a hole in each ear.
History Of Use
According to one 19th century collector, Frank Burnett: "[Solomon Islanders] believing that the 'Mana' of the dead was centred in the head, carefully preserved the skulls of their dead heroes, and moulded upon them a paste formed of lime and candlenuts, or else plastic clay which they skilfully modelled into a facsimile of the features of the deceased. When this had nearly set it was stained with a black viscuous gum applied hot into which were inlaid pieces of pearl shell forming artistic patterns ... [t]he eyes were formed of perculums. The heads so prepared were placed inside a shrine with carved posts and surrounded by a fence, and termed a 'Vunaha'."
Item History
- Made in Solomon Islands before 1920
- Owned by Maria von Tiesenhausen before June 23, 2009
- Received from Maria von Tiesenhausen (Donor) on June 23, 2009
What
- Name
- Decorated Skull
- Identification Number
- 2748/6
- Type of Item
- skull
- Material
- human bone, human hair, cowrie shell, clay, seed, paint, cotton fibre and bone
- Overall
- height 17.0 cm, width 23.0 cm, depth 29.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Solomon Islands
- Previous Owner
- Maria von Tiesenhausen
- Received from
- Maria von Tiesenhausen (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Solomon Islands
When
- Creation Date
- before 1920
- Ownership Date
- before June 23, 2009
- Acquisition Date
- on June 23, 2009
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 2748/0006