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1908.70.120

Shell protection for lower half of face. [MOBB [OPS move] 1/9/2017]

1908.70.120

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Collection type
Object
Description
Shell protection for lower half of face. [MOBB [OPS move] 1/9/2017]
Long description
Shell protection for lower half of face, carried in mouth. Cream, oval shaped shell with two perforations, through which is laced a piece of reed, and a length of plant fibre cord that has four discs of perforated (mother of pearl?) shell attached to it. [MOBB [OPS move] 1/9/2017]
Geographical reference
Papua New Guinea
Oceania > Melanesia > Papua New Guinea
Oro Province Ijivitari District Collingwood Bay
Cultural groups
Ubir
Person
Field collector Arthur Kent Chignell
PRM source William Henry Chignell
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1908
Date collected
By 1908
Acquisition information
Purchased: 1908
Materials and processes
Material Shell, Material Plant Fibre Yarn, Material Reed Plant, Process Perforated, Process Carved
Dimensions
Width: max 140 mm, Height: max 175 mm, Depth: max 35 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1908.70.120
Research and responses

It is clear that the field collector must have been Arthur Kent Chignell, a missionary at Wanigela from 1907, and William Henry Chignell, the donor (he was actually his father) see biographies for details [AP 23/04/2014 amended September 2015 to be clear]

The Ethnologue gives the current spelling of Ubiri as Ubir and says their home is 'Oro Province, Tufi District, coast of Collingwood Bay on the Kwagila River', for Maisin the Ethnologue says 'Oro Province, villages along coast of Collingwood Bay and Kosirava swamp.' [AP 11/5/2000]

Search terms: Ornament, Armour Weapon, Head Ornament, Armour

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