Ancestor Mask Item Number: Ie495 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Carved wooden, oval shaped mask representing a face. The top of the head is inlaid with two different types of shells. The forehead is elongated with a ridge down the middle and recessed eyes inlaid with cowrie shells. The nose is protruding and has a section of a boar tusk in each nostril. The mouth is partly open exposing carved teeth. Bundles of sennit fibre line the bottom edge. The mask is painted with orange, black and white pigment. The back is undecorated.
Item History
- Made in Papua New Guinea before 1986
- Collected by Moya Waters and Herb Watson during 1986
- Owned by South Pacific Pavilion before February 6, 1987
- Received from South Pacific Pavilion (Seller), Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source) and Expo 86 (Funding source) on February 6, 1987
What
- Name
- Ancestor Mask
- Identification Number
- Ie495
- Type of Item
- mask
- Material
- wood, cowrie shell, shell, sennit fibre, boar tusk and pigment
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved, dyed ? and painted ?
- Overall
- height 85.2 cm, width 42.7 cm, depth 11.6 cm
Who
- Culture
- New Guinea
- Field Collector
- Moya Waters and Herb Watson
- Previous Owner
- South Pacific Pavilion
- Received from
- South Pacific Pavilion (Seller), Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source) and Expo 86 (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Papua New Guinea
When
- Creation Date
- before 1986
- Collection Date
- during 1986
- Ownership Date
- before February 6, 1987
- Acquisition Date
- on February 6, 1987
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 1188/0074