1897.67.60

Collection type

Object

Description

Man's basket decorated with two wooden heads, a cross bar ending in carved wooden heads long plant leaf tassels and two animal fur tassels. [SM (Verve) 30/10/2013]

Long description

Man's basket decorated with two wooden heads, a cross bar ending in carved wooden heads long plant leaf tassels and two animal fur tassels. The heads are carved from a single piece of wood. The skin is painted brown with tattoo designs in black. The top of the head is flat and unpainted. The cross bar with two heads is also painted brown with tattoo designs in black pigment. All three are tied to the basket with plant fibre string. Four long leaf tassels are tied to the basket. These are bound at the base with red, white and black wool. Two long animal fur tassels, possibly bear are tied to the front with cane strips. The basket has a carrying strap of plaited cane strips. This is attached to the basket through two loops on the sides and the ends are tied together under the tassels. The basket is made from hexagonal open plaiting with lateral larger strips of cane woven through in bands. The back is covered with a large leaf or cane. [SM (Verve) 30/10/2013]

Geographical reference

India

Asia > Southern Asia > India

Assam Nagaland Arunachal Pradesh Mizoram Meghalaya

Cultural groups

Naga

Person

Field collector Samuel Edward Peal

PRM source Samuel Edward Peal

PRM source Sidney E. Peal

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1897

Date collected

By 1897

Acquisition information

Purchased: 1897

Materials and processes

Material Cane Plant, Material Plant Leaf, Material Wood Plant, Material Pigment, Material Animal Fur Skin, Material Wool Yarn Animal, Material Plant Fibre, Process Basketry, Process Carved, Process Bound, Process Painted, Process Tied, Process Perforated

Dimensions

Depth: max 140 mm, Width: max 370 mm, Height: max 650 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1897.67.60

Research and responses

It seems clear that the name of the collector and donor should be Samuel Edward Peal of Sibsagar, who died in 1897, although perhaps the items were donated after this death by a relative with the same initials? See biographies for more information [AP 20/08/2013]

Associated publications

Reproduced in colour on page 187 of The Nagas - Hill Peoples of Northeast India: Society, Culture and the Colonial Encounter, by Julian Jacobs with Alan Macfarlane, Sarah Harrison and Anita Herle (London: Thames and Hudson, 1990). "Collection of head-taking baskets decorated with carved wooden heads, monkey skulls, goats' hair and fibrous tassels. Pitt Rivers Museum display." The photos are of the displays in C.19.B and C.19.C at the time of publication. [SM (Verve) 23/10/2013]

Search terms: Basketry, Animalia, Figure, Status, Transport and Travel, Basket, Animal Part, Skull, Status Object, Carrying Device