- Collection type
- Object
- Description
- Headdress of coiled basketry covered with orange feathers. There are blue cut feathers, orange feathers, and white feathers around the rim. At the base of the object is a supporting framework covered in ?snakeskin. [LM 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 6/12/2005] [ROH 07/03/2012]
- Long description
- The feather headdress has a coiled basketry bell-shaped foundation with an armature covered with snake skin?. The feather elements are woven into a 2-ply cord that is incorporated into the coils of the basketry foundation. The orange exterior feathers are attached with plant fibre to interior grey and white feathers. The white and grey feathers are split down the centre of the rachis, which makes them more flexible, gives them a slight twist, and weakens them structurally. A bundle of feathers is tied together at the top of the object with a modern looking cotton cord. There are large cut blue (est) feathers and small white and orange feathers around the rim. [ROH 07/03/2012]
- Geographical reference
- Maniema
- Date / Period
- Date made: Before 1900
- Date collected
- By 1900
- Acquisition information
- Donated: 1900
- Materials and processes
- Material Bird Feather, Material Plant Fibre, Material Snake Skin Reptile, Process Coiled, Process Basketry
- Dimensions
- Height: max 250 mm, Diameter: max 370 mm
- Object numbers
- Accession number: 1900.4.3
- Research and responses
Andrew Gosler and Juan Gonzalez, during a research visit, were uncertain as to the identity of the feathers but thought that the orange feathers might be African grey parrot feathers. Their slightly curved shape suggests that they may be secondary feathers. [ROH 07/03/2012]
Search terms: Ornament, Currency, Clothing Headgear, Basketry, Headdress