1884.54.57

Collection type

Object

Description

Wooden boat ornament, curved with decorative carving and conical hollowed tube at one end. [FC 13/05/2010]

Geographical reference

Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Union Territory of India)

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

Nicobar Islands

Person

Maker Unknown Maker

Field collector Edward Horace Man

PRM source Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers founding collection

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1884

Date collected

Prior to 1884

Acquisition information

Donated: 1884

Materials and processes

Material Wood Plant, Process Carved

Dimensions

Length: max 250 mm, Width: max 62 mm, Depth: max 29 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1884.54.57 PR no.: 194a/ 11935

Associated publications

JAI 1882: 277 'Koi-la Pu (lit Car Nicobar prow having been first made and used at that island) This is a model of an ornament fastened on to the bow of a canoe on high days and festivals (Plate XXIVa)' [EH Man]. It is not stated in any of the primary sources which object [and where it was] the canoe ornament was modelled on. Indian Antiquary, Feb. 1895, 'Catalogue of Nicobarese objects', p. 43 'Canoes and their fittings ... 2 (m) Düe (Car Nicobar Ap) Outrigger canoe of various sizes from about 8 feet to about 50 feet long, made in the Central and Southern Groups and - of the smaller sizes only - at Car Nicobar. In the Central group the trunk of the Calophyllum spectabile is usually preferred. All but the very small canoes are usually provided with one or more wooden masts (kanama), cotton sails (henteha) - on certain festive occasions, an ornamental prow (karuha) painted vermilion, and colored calico pennons attached to the mast head (koi-kanama) - and out-rigger peg-fastenings (henema-rüe).' [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]

Search terms: Navigation, Ornament, Model, Canoe Part, Canoe, Boat