Hat made from plant fibre covered with cloth dyed indigo. [ZM 27/10/2005]

Collection type: Object
Description: Hat made from plant fibre covered with cloth dyed indigo. [ZM 27/10/2005]
Geographical reference: Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Union Territory of India)
Asia > Southern Asia > Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Union Territory of India); Nicobar Islands
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 Textile, Material Plant Fibre, Process Padded, Process Dyed
Object numbers: Accession number: 1897.56.14
Research and responses: Examined in October 2005 by Lotika Varadarajan, from New Delhi, who has studied and written about the Nicobar Islands. Varadarajan noted that the indigo dyed material would have come from the Mainland, probably traded for coconuts, as there were no dyes or weaving on the Nicobar Islands. The tassels at the top of the hat, on both sides, are the same style of decoration found on other local objects, for example on the boats. The fibre used to form the frame of the hat is a bark taken from the bottom of the coconut tree, and is also used for making containers etc. This style of hat is no longer used on the Nicobar Islands. [ZM 27/10/2005]