Money Item Number: Ie318 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
A piece of pearl shell that is crescent shaped and that has 8 cm. between the points where there is a hole bored. The convex side is pearly-yellow while the concave side is pearly-white. Irregularly coated and encrusted with red ochre. Attached to the holes, there is a band knitted of local fibre, 60 cm. long, and 5 cm. wide. To one end, there is attached a cord 5 cm. long. The other attachment has been broken and is affixed to the shell with nylon string. The band is coated with red ochre. To each end, there are affixed two cowrie shells. At the midpoint, there are three transverse ribs. Near these, there is affixed a clump of fur.
History Of Use
Pearl shell is the important denomination of wealth and is used as medium of exchange in bride-wealth, warfare compensation, death payments, dispute settlement, etc. Fundamental to reciprocal exchange, such objects move along paths defined by alliance and filiation. The shell is usually worked by other groups, who trade the shell in a more or less finished state, but the Kewa also know these techniques.
Cultural Context
exchange
Item History
- Made in Iapi, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea before 1972
- Collected by John Leroy between 1970 and 1972
- Owned by John Leroy before June 1976
- Received from John Leroy (Seller) and Unknown (Funding source) during June 1976
What
- Name
- Money
- Identification Number
- Ie318
- Type of Item
- money
- Material
- synthetic fibre, ochre pigment, skin, cowrie shell, fibre and shell
- Manufacturing Technique
- chipped, bored and knitted
- Overall
- height 46.5 cm, width 19.0 cm, depth 9.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Kewa
- Field Collector
- John Leroy
- Previous Owner
- John Leroy
- Received from
- John Leroy (Seller) and Unknown (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Iapi, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea
When
- Creation Date
- before 1972
- Collection Date
- between 1970 and 1972
- Ownership Date
- before June 1976
- Acquisition Date
- during June 1976
Other
- Condition
- poor
- Accession Number
- 0325/0019