1884.29.5.5

Collection type

Object

Description

One of seven sling-stones that go with a rectangular stringwork bag [see 1884.29.5 .1 - .8 for bag and other sling stones]. [El.B 12/2/2007]

Geographical reference

New Caledonia (Special Collectivity of France)

Oceania > Melanesia > New Caledonia (Special Collectivity of France)

Unknown

Person

Maker Unknown Maker

Field collector Unknown Collector

PRM source Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers founding collection

Date / Period

Date made: Possibly before 1874

Date collected

?By 1874

Acquisition information

Donated: 1884

Materials and processes

Material Stone

Dimensions

Length: max 48 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1884.29.5.5 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]

Search terms: Weapon, Sling-stone