Body Mask

Item number Ie415 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Data
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Description

Tumbuan 'mask' or body costume. Conical shape made of a wooden frame and wrapped with a large piece of mulberry bark that is painted with a vertical striped pattern in dark brown, light brown and orange. Along the bottom edge is a long fringe of sennit(?) dyed red and black; the sides have two red tufts. Attached to the front is an oval shaped wooden mask covered in white clay. The face has a long forehead, protruding brow, nose and red tongue. The septum has boar tusks running through; eyes are inlaid with shell. Around the eyes and nose is black and white spotted detailing. Above the mask are black feathers, a large tuft of sennit ? dyed black and painted red and white. The top back has a fibre woven plate, an erect woven handle and a pink and blue fabric decoration with white feathers. The top sides have wooden handles painted black, red and white.

Cultural Context

ceremonial

Item History

Made in Papua, Indonesia
Owned by Alan F. Pierce before October 30, 1981
Received from Alan F. Pierce (Donor) on October 30, 1981

What

Name: Body Mask
Identification Number: Ie415
Type of Item: mask
Material: palm leaf, clay, paint, feather, wood, shell, cotton fibre, plant fibre, mulberry bark, boar tusk and dye
Overall: height 123.8 cm, diameter 58.0 cm