Necklace of white and blue striped beads from which hang duct flutes made of bird wing-bones, some with incised cross-hatched pattern. [El.B 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 1/12/2005]

Collection type: Object
Description: Necklace of white and blue striped beads from which hang duct flutes made of bird wing-bones, some with incised cross-hatched pattern. [El.B 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 1/12/2005]
Long description: Necklace of blue-and-white striped glass beads from which hang 11 duct flutes of bird wing bones (probably pelican). 3 of the flutes have cross-hatched decoration, filled with black. The mouthpieces are blocked with wax to form a duct. Flutes have up to 6 finger-holes (most have 4). no thumb-holes.
Geographical reference: Panama
Latin America and the Caribbean > Central America > Panama; San Blas Islands Chucunaque River area
Cultural groups: Guna
Person: Field collector Lilian Mabel Alice Richmond Brown; Field collector Frederick Albert Mitchell-Hedges; PRM source Lilian Mabel Alice Richmond Brown; PRM source Frederick Albert Mitchell-Hedges
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1922
Date collected: 1922
Acquisition information: Donated: 1924
Materials and processes: Material Bird Bone, Material Bead, Material String, Material Wax, Material Cotton Yarn Plant, Material Glass, Process Perforated, Process Decorated, Process Incised, Process Plugged
Dimensions: Length: max 300 mm necklace double, Length: max 240 mm Flute
Object numbers: Accession number: 1924.46.29
Research and responses: Note from James Howe, 8.I.1990: these necklaces are mainly worn by the kantules when dancing at puberty ceremonies.