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1897.56.3

Large wooden figure of man with arms outstretched for guarding house. [DCF Court Team 12/2/2003]

On display

1897.56.3

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Collection type
Object
Description
Large wooden figure of man with arms outstretched for guarding house. [DCF Court Team 12/2/2003]
Long description
Large wooden figure of man with arms outstretched for guarding house. It appears to be a man and has its arms outstretched. It has a painted black 'top hat', red textile earrings, eyes of inlaid shell, and a red & white textile loin cloth. The figure has four rectangular notches on the ankles and wrists. It has two long long rectangular notches on the chest under the arm pits and seven shorter ones around the waist. The figure's body, head, hat and legs are carved from a single piece of wood. The arms are made from separate pieces of wood and slot into the body with carved joints. The loin cloth is made from three pieces of fabric. One is red, one is white and the third is white with red stripes. These are held in place with knots and a wooden stick. The fabric strips hang down on the front and back of the figure. The earrings are made of short strips of red textile made into a short tassel. The figure's face is painted pink from below the eyes. The mouth and eyebrows are painted in black. The eyes are made from shell with ?resin pupils. [SM (Verve) 20/08/2013]
Person
Field collector Richard Carnac Temple
PRM source Richard Carnac Temple
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1897
Date collected
By 1897
Acquisition information
Donated: 1897
Materials and processes
Material Wood Plant, Material Pigment, Material Shell, Material Textile, Material Resin Plant, Process Carved, Process Painted, Process Woven, Process Carpentered, Process Inlaid
Dimensions
Width: max 795 mm, Height: max 1290 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1897.56.3 Other numbers: 10 152
Research and responses

Related paper in RDF - Spirits, Politics, and Rituals in the History of Nicobar Islands by Vishvajit Pandya, Journal of Social Sciences 4(4), pp 243-260 (Kamla-Raj, 2000). Paper refers in places to use and importance of such objects in Nicobar. [CT (VERVE] 20/09/2013]

Search terms: Figure, Dwelling, Religion, Amulet, House-ornament

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