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MaskC1374

The mask is all black with cowrie shells for eyes with a notched outline. Two grooves create a curvi-linear ridge across the eyebrows. The ears are small, and the head tapers upward to a flat top with a ridge down the middle of the forehead. The elongated nose has the head of a bird at the end which joins at the end of the face. Geometric designs of dots and curved lines are carved around the bottom portion of the mask.

Culture
New Guinea
Material
cowrie shell and wood
Made in
Mount Hagen, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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DrumC1382

Carved wood drum with an hourglass-like shape with a rounded handle on one side. The ends of the handles go into the mouths of two incised figures; one has a cowrie shell inlaid eye. The opposite side has two identical figures. The centre of the drum has a band of geometric pattern carved in relief. A piece of skin is attached to the top with cotton and fibre twine. There are remnants of red pigment.

Culture
New Guinea
Material
snake skin, fibre, cowrie shell, wood and pigment
Made in
Mount Hagen, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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NecklaceC1432

Cowrie shells that have a greyish-white colour with orange tips. The shells are strung on a twisted brown string.

Culture
Melanesian
Material
cowrie shell and fibre
Made in
Pacific Islands
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
HeaddressK2.181

A long thin brown fabric piece that has a main design consisting of red flannel with white cowrie shell rosettes and white goat fur trim with leopard skin trim. The ties are made of cotton.

Culture
Ngere
Material
goat skin, cowrie shell, cotton fibre and leopard skin
Made in
Guinea
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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MaskK2.196

Brown wood helmet mask of an animal with bulbous eyes, ears, and horns. Large open mouth with jaws and very large teeth, five and six pairs deep. Upper teeth have incised diagonal lines. Fabric band across the forehead decorated with cowrie shells and extends back around the top of the head where a horn is attached at either side. Inside and back are filled with a light brown raffia-like material.

Culture
Senufo
Material
cowrie shell, wood and palm leaf ?
Made in
Cote d'Ivoire
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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Mask3625/2

Turtle shell and basketry face mask. The dark red clay(?) face is built on the rounded outside of a turtle shell and surrounded by a thick basketry edge with a woven loop at the top for hanging. The mask has short, curly, dark brown hair attached along the top of the forehead. The face is painted with a black pigment with horizontal stripes and rows of triangles. The narrow pointed nose, mouth, and ears are prominently built-out with clay, and detailed. The mouth is painted black with a red slit down the centre of the bottom lip. The ears are pierced with a hole at the top, outer, and bottom edges. The eyes are inlaid cowrie shells with built out eye sockets and horizontal black stripes underneath. The edge of the face is outlined with face down cowrie shells. The forehead has another row of smaller shells inside the cowrie shells. A trio of the same small shells is inlaid into each cheek in a triangle shape. The back of the mask is the inside of the bare turtle shell, stained black with holes along the edge where the basketry is attached.

Culture
Abelam
Material
turtle shell, plant fibre, clay ?, pigment, cowrie shell, shell and hair
Made in
East Sepik, Papua New Guinea
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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Face Cover3553/1 a-b

Rectangular fabric face covering, with coins and beadwork across surface (part a). Covering has a plain red centre and is bordered by alternating white cotton braids and silver beads; triangular charms stitched along top edge of red centre. Two eye holes cut out above rectangle; fabric ridge sewn down middle of covering, imitating a nose. Ridge has coins attached along the top edge, and plastic beads and buttons along the sides. Two thin, pink embroidered bands attached to sides of covering, with strands of metal beads hanging from the bottom edges; red and green tassels throughout beads. Embroidered bands have columns of orange, green, and yellow diamonds along them. Additional coin and bead decorations along bottom edge of face covering. Back is lined with floral fabric and has a leather tie on the left side (lower half- part b); two fabric loops in each corner along top edge.

Culture
Bedouin
Material
silver alloy metal, cotton fibre, skin, plastic, dye and cowrie shell
Made in
Saudi Arabia
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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Necklace3596/9

Round beaded neck ring with small rectangular panel at front; mounted on cow leather. Main body of necklace consists of thirteen strands of glass and seed beads in encircling rows, becoming successively smaller in size towards centre. Rows are (from interior to exterior): dark blue, dark red, alternating yellow and black, alternating yellow and black, orange, dark blue, white, alternating red and black, white, dark blue, red, and alternating black and white. Beaded semi-circles, with plain metal charms, protrude from either side of neck ring. Panel at front of necklace is decorated with two columns, divided by a small piece of wood; done in orange, dark blue, white, light green, and dark red. Columns have a repeating diamond motif through the centre with inverted triangles on either side. Circular metal charms extend from either side of panel; long beaded fringe, tipped with cowrie shells, extends from bottom edge. Necklace secures at back with two hook clasps; additional metal charms decorate edges around clasps. (Beaded fringe has mostly detached from necklace.)

Culture
Maasai
Material
glass, seed, cow skin, metal, cowrie shell and plant fibre
Made in
Narok, Kenya
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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Breast Ornament3536/3

Irregularly-shaped diamond breast ornament; made out of plant fibre. Surface is covered in small cowrie shells; horizontal diamond-like opening in centre of ornament, showing fibre beneath. Shells surrounding opening are woven into a star-like pattern; rest of shells are attached in straight lines. Nine egg cowrie shells hang from both sides of the ornament (18 total). Pendant made of two tusks, forming a circle, hangs from a twisted fibre cord at the bottom; loop cord at top of ornament. Back of ornament is undecorated. (Also 1 extra, loose egg cowrie shell with stick attachments.)

Culture
New Guinea
Material
egg cowrie shell, cowrie shell, tusk, plant fibre and fibre
Made in
Papua New Guinea
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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Carving3532/5 a-b

Carving of a female figure standing on an oval-like base (part a). She stands with her feet shoulder width apart, hands at her hips; depicted wearing a grass skirt and assorted jewellery made of twisted fibre and circular shells(?). Her face has linear and curvilinear designs painted across it in white; eyes are inset cowrie shells. Hair is black, with a white band painted underneath. Large hornbill sitting on top of woman’s head; neck is extended with head tilted back. Head and neck of hornbill are yellow, rest of body is black; eyes are inset cowrie shells. A crocodile, balanced on its tail, supports the back of the female figure; painted black. Two snakes stretch from her shoulders and have their heads resting against the base; done in black with white and orange stripes. All animals have intricately carved features; hornbill has additional curvilinear designs. Top of base is a light orange; sides have a channel carved into them, with ovals carved in relief throughout. Donor tag attached to snake on right side of base. (Left wing has broken off hornbill, part b.)

Culture
New Guinea
Material
wood, grass fibre, plant fibre, cowrie shell, shell ? and pigment
Made in
Papua New Guinea
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record