Skip to content
Pitt Rivers Museum
AboutHire the MuseumNewsletterUniversity of Oxford

1884.29.5.1

Rectangular stringwork bag [.1], edged with Pteropus hair, with two netted tubes as handles, also edged with Pteropus hair. [El.B 12/2/2007]

1884.29.5.1

Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford

Terms and Conditions

If you wish to order a high-resolution image and/or licence its use for print or web publication, exhibition, film, promotional product or any other use, whether in the academic or commercial sector of any print run, then please visit photographic services.

Collection type
Object
Description
Rectangular stringwork bag [.1], edged with Pteropus hair, with two netted tubes as handles, also edged with Pteropus hair. [El.B 12/2/2007]
Long description
Rectangular stringwork bag [.1], edged with Pteropus hair, with two netted tubes as handles, also edged with Pteropus hair. With seven sling-stones [ see 1884.29.2-.8]. [El.B 12/2/2007]
Date / Period
Date made: Possibly before 1874
Date collected
?By 1874
Acquisition information
Donated: 1884
Materials and processes
Material String, Material Net Textile, Material Pteropus Hair Animal, Process Netted, Process Grooved
Dimensions
Length: max 530 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1884.29.5.1 PR Cat other PR nos: 1027
Research and responses

There seems to be some confusion as to how these bags were worn and used. In various Accession Book/Card catalogue entries/labels they have been described as bag with head fillet attached, bag with waistband and cap with pendant net bags. George Forster in 'A Voyage Round The World' (vol.2) writes: 'The stones which they [the New Caledonians] used were oblong and pointed at each end, being made of a soft and unctuous soaprock (simectites) , which could easily be rubbed into that shape. These exactly fitted the loop in the middle of the sling, and were kept in a wallet or pocket of coarse cloth, strongly woven of a kind of grass, which was tied on about the middle.' Dr Fritz Sarasin in 'Ethnologie der Neu-Kaledonier und Loyalty-Insulaner' (Munich 1929) also describes these bags and states that they were filled with the sling-stones, extra stones were put into the netted tubes and the tubes were then tied round the waist. [El.B 13/2/2007]

A sample of the hair from the cord at the top of the pouch was given to Caroline Cartwright of the Department of Conservation and Scientific Research at the British Museum for identification.[JU 13/12/2012] It was identified as flying fox fur (Pteropus sp.) - both guard hairs and underfur. [JU 13/12/2013]

Search terms: Weapon, Transport and Travel, Bag, Cordage, Clothing Headgear, Carrying Device, Headgear

Further items to explore