Fire Kit Item Number: 2878/28 a-d from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Fire starting kit consisting of four components. Part a: Two caps on the either end of a small rope which attach to either end of a bamboo stalk (part b). These caps come from a single silk worm cocoon that has been cut in half. There is a flat, rectangular piece of iron that is used with a flint (part d) attached to the length of rope. The iron is curved into a hook-shape on one corner in order to allow the iron to hang off the piece of rope. Part b: Length of bamboo stalk, hollow at one end to allow for the storage of parts c-d, inside there is a bundle off-white un-spun silk fibre. The closed end of the bamboo stalk is burnt and blackened. This end is the carbonated end used to light a dried silk tuft to ignite a fire. Part c: A tobacco leaf rolled up and bent at one end. Part d: Piece of stone used as a flint. It is mostly black with streaks of brown and there is a brown line that runs down the centre of the stone. The edges are mostly jagged, but there is one smooth edge.
History Of Use
To make fire, a tuft of the un-spun silk is placed on the carbonated end of the bamboo stalk, the flint is struck against the iron tablet and the spark is directed at the dried silk tuft that ignites the fire.
Narrative
Part (c) is a cigarette local to the Man(g)kuria people known as a “bi(r)di”.
Item History
- Made in Odisha, India
- Collected during 1981
- Owned by Tamarin Productions Inc. before May 4, 2011
- Received from Tamarin Productions Inc. (Seller) and Ruth Read Bequest (Funding source) on May 4, 2011
What
- Name
- Fire Kit
- Identification Number
- 2878/28 a-d
- Type of Item
- fire kit
- Material
- bamboo grass, tobacco leaf, stone, cocoon, silk fibre and iron metal
- Overall
- height 3.1 cm, width 10.3 cm, depth 9.0 cm
- Part A
- height 2.7 cm, width 10.3 cm, depth 8.9 cm
- Part B
- width 7.5 cm, diameter 2.5 cm
- Part C
- height 1.5 cm, width 5.5 cm, depth 1.9 cm
- Part D
- height 0.6 cm, width 2.4 cm, depth 2.1 cm, diameter 29.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Indian
- Previous Owner
- Tamarin Productions Inc.
- Received from
- Tamarin Productions Inc. (Seller) and Ruth Read Bequest (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Odisha, India
When
- Collection Date
- during 1981
- Ownership Date
- before May 4, 2011
- Acquisition Date
- on May 4, 2011
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 2878/0028 a-d