Description

Plaited rope of seal hide.

Longer Description

Plaited rope of seal hide. Four strands have been plaited to form the cord which is tied into a coil. [CAK 17/05/2010]

Research Notes

The following information comes from Haida delegates who worked with the museum's collection in September 2009 as part of the project “Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge”:
This rope was viewed alongside other fishing equipment on Monday Sept 14, 2009. Christian White thought this cord could have been attached to a harpoon. He thought there would also have been a float made from a seal stomach used in conjunction with the cord and harpoon. Candace Weir noted the excellent strength of the cord, and commented that it would become more pliable when wet. The material was identified as seal hide by delegates. [CAK 17/05/2010]

This object was viewed and confirmed as Haida by tribal members Vincent Collison, Lucille Bell, and Kwiiawah Jones on 7 September 2007 in preparation for a planned Haida community visit to PRM in 2009 [L Peers, 21/01/2008]

Primary Documentation

Accession book entry - C. HARRISON, Esq. Specimens collected from the HAIDA of QUEEN CHARLOTTE ID., B.C.... - Piece of rope made by plaiting 4 thongs of hair-seal hide

No additional information on catalogue cards. [JC 5 9 1996]

Pitt Rivers Museum label - Rope made from thongs of hair-seal hide (4 thongs plaited), HAIDA, QUEEN CHARLOTTE ID.Pres. by C. Harrison, 1924. [CAK 10/06/2009]

Pitt Rivers Museum display label - [with object in Haida project room] QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLAND, HAIDA Rope, made from thongs of hair-seal hid (4 thongs plaited). d.d. C. Harrison, 1924. [CAK 10/06/2009]

Related Documents File - The Haida Project Related Documents File contains video of research sessions and interviews with Haida delegates from September 2009 as part of the project ‘Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge'. It also includes post-visit communications that discuss object provenance. For extensive photographic, video, and textual records documenting the Haida research visit as a whole, including but not limited to preparations of objects for handling, travel logistics, British Museum participation, transcribed notes from research sessions and associated public events held at PRM, see the Haida Project Digital Archive, stored with the Accessions Registers. Original hand-written notes taken during research sessions have been accessioned into the Manuscripts collection, in addition to select other materials. [CAK 02/06/2010]