1884.5.1.1

Collection type

Object

Description

Six plain white cyrena shells, used as spoons. [EC 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 24/3/2006]

Geographical reference

Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Union Territory of India)

Asia > Southern Asia > Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Union Territory of India)

Andaman Islands

Person

Maker Unknown Maker

Field collector Edward Horace Man

PRM source Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers founding collection

Date / Period

Date made: Possibly before 1878

Date collected

?Prior to 1878

Acquisition information

Donated: 1884

Materials and processes

Material Shell

Dimensions

Width: max. 55 mm (1884.5.1.1), Width: max. 57 mm (1884.5.1.2), Width: max. 65 mm (1884.5.1.5), Width: max. 65 mm (1884.5.1.6), Width: max. 57 mm (1884.5.1.3), Width: max. 57 mm (1884.5.1.4)

Object numbers

Accession number: 1884.5.1.1 Accession number: 1884.5.1.2 Accession number: 1884.5.1.3 Accession number: 1884.5.1.4 Accession number: 1884.5.1.5 Accession number: 1884.5.1.6

Associated publications

JAI, 1878: 463 'Ûta-da. (Cyrena shell) Of this and the 'Jîrka-ûta' (v no 64) they make great use. They prepare the fibres for use by their means and use them for knives for cutting thatching leaves; the 'Ûj' (v no 37) is made with them. Arrows are dressed and prepared with these alone. The ornamental incisions in the bow, paddle etc are executed with them and they are employed for planing purposes also in sharpening the 'Pîlcha' (v no 65) They are also used as spoons in eating the gravy of pork turtle etc. So useful are they indeed for these and other purposes that some are always kept and carried ready for use (In glass jars) Pl XII' [Taken from 'List of Andamanese and Nicobarese Implements Ornaments etc presented to Major-General Lane Fox by EH Man esq and thus described by Mr Man 18th September 1877'. [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]

Search terms: Food and Drink, Tool, Spoon, Plane, Knife, Food Accessory