Skip to content
Pitt Rivers Museum
AboutHire the MuseumNewsletterUniversity of Oxford

1889.34.54

Bamboo ceremonial knife.

1889.34.54

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
Bamboo ceremonial knife.
Long description
Ceremonial knife said to be used in dances. Made from bamboo painted with red ochre with a criss cross design etched at one end, at the other circular pieces of white and red shells are inlaid with gum. The handle is made from twisted plant fibre and a length of textile dyed red. [ZM 19/06/2015]
Geographical reference
Australia
Oceania > Australia and New Zealand > Australia
Queensland Torres Strait Islands Mer Island
Cultural groups
Meriam Mir
Person
Field collector Alfred Cort Haddon
Field collector Cambridge Torres Straits Expedition
PRM source Alfred Cort Haddon
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1888
Date collected
?1888
Acquisition information
Donated: 1889
Materials and processes
Material Bamboo Plant, Material Textile, Material Shell, Material Plant Fibre, Material Resin Plant, Material Pigment, Process Carved, Process Dyed, Process Inlaid, Process Tied, Process Bound, Process Painted, Process Etched
Dimensions
Width: max 43 mm, Length 320 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1889.34.54

Search terms: Tool, Dance, Ritual and Ceremonial, Religion, Weapon, Knife, Dance Accessory, Ceremonial Object

Further items to explore