Bowl

Item number 1891.49.100 from the Pitt Rivers Museum.

Public

- RRN ID
View Original Record

Item Records

This page shows all the information we have about this item. Both the institution that physically holds this item, and RRN members have contributed the knowledge on this page. You’re looking at the item record provided by the holding institution. If you scroll further down the page, you’ll see the information from RRN members, and can share your own knowledge too.

The RRN processes the information it receives from each institution to make it more readable and easier to search. If you’re doing in-depth research on this item, be sure to take a look at the Data Source tab to see the information exactly as it was provided by the institution.

These records are easy to share because each has a unique web address. You can copy and paste the location from your browser’s address bar into an email, word document, or chat message to share this item with others.

Data
Data Source

This information was automatically generated from data provided by Pitt Rivers Museum. It has been standardized to aid in finding and grouping information within the RRN. Accuracy and meaning should be verified from the Data Source tab.

Description

Wooden bowl for grease and berries carved with formline designs on the outside. [CAK 14/08/2009]

Longer Description

Wooden bowl for grease and berries carved with formline designs on the outside. Carved from a single piece of wood (cedar or alder), the bowl is roughly rectangular in shape. The rim is beveled and has a convex curvature on the sides, extending upward and forming a plateau on either end. The ends of the bowl are carved with animal faces. Each end has a mouth carved near the base of the bowl. There are two large ovoid shaped eyes with a very small circular nose, and segments of angled parallel lines between the eyes and mouth. Above the eyes are ears. The centre top portion of each end has another face with rounded eyes. On one end there is also a small nose and mouth(?). The animal designs wrap around the sides of the bowl. The central portion of each side is decorated with four rows of short horizontal incisions. The inside of the bowl is smooth except for a ridge running approximately 10.5 mm beneath the rim. The wood is impregnated with grease. [CAK 14/08/2009]

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 bowl was viewed alongside other wood and horn dishes on Wednesday Sept 9, 2009. Delegates identified the material as alder wood. Diane Brown thought it smelled like cod grease. [CAK 27/05/2010]

Primary Documentation

Accession book entry (for 1891.49.94 - .107): 'From Rev. Ch. Harrison, 80 Halton Rd, Canonbury Sq. N. Collection of Haida objects collected by him.... - [One of] 14 Carved wooden grease boxes of various sizes. £45. [Purchase price includes 1891.49.1-110]

No additional information on catalogue cards. [JC 4 9 1996]

Written on object - BOX FOR GREASE AND BERRIES. C. HARRISON COLLN PURCHASED 1891. [MJD 05/05/2009]

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]