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1884.20.36.1

Turtle harpoon with iron point, with two barbs on one side towards the tip and two more barbs further down.

1884.20.36.1

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Collection type
Object
Description
Turtle harpoon with iron point, with two barbs on one side towards the tip and two more barbs further down.
Long description
Turtle harpoon with iron point, with two barbs on one side towards the tip and two more barbs further down. A long line of woven plant fibre rope, bound into a bundle, is tied to the end of the point. Two pieces of wood tied together to form a cross is visible inside the rope bundle. For the associated shaft see 1884.20.36 .2. [SB [OPS Move] 27/6/2017]
Date / Period
Date made: Possibly before 1878
Date collected
?Prior to 1878
Acquisition information
Donated: 1884
Materials and processes
Material Iron Metal, Material Plant Fibre, Material Bamboo Plant, Process Plaited, Process Woven, Process Forged (Metal), Process Carved
Dimensions
Length: max 498 mm, Width: max 151 mm, Depth: max 122 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1884.20.36.1 PR Cat other PR nos: 3635
Associated publications
JAI, 1878: 459 'The turtle-spearing apparatus. The iron spike is called Kôwaia-da the line Bêtma-da and the long bamboo handle (often 18 feet or more long) Tagw-da. When in use the Kôwaia is fixed in the tawg and the bêtma is held in the hand. When the turtle is struck the tawg gets disconnnected and floats, and is recovered after the turtle has been captured. Pl XIII' [Taken from the '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'] JAI 1882 XI: 271 EH Man states that harpoon spears were only used on the water in hunting turtles dugong porpoises skates and other large fish [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]

Search terms: Weapon, Hunting, Tool, Harpoon-head, Harpoon Line, Harpoon, Winder, Hunting accessory

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