Bark Cloth

97-120-707A

From: Futuna (uncertain) | Horne Islands (uncertain) | Tahiti | Society Islands (uncertain)

Curatorial Section: Oceanian

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Object Number 97-120-707A
Current Location Collections Storage
Provenience Futuna (uncertain) | Horne Islands (uncertain) | Tahiti | Society Islands (uncertain)
Section Oceanian
Materials Bark Cloth | Pigment
Description

Natural color bark cloth with fine all-over black geometric patterning: bands of cross-hatched lines and small black squares, blocks of rows of concentric circles, etc. Border of oiled dark brown/black. Made of paper mulberry (Broussonetia sp.) Collected on the United States Exploring Expedition (1838-1842) by Titian R. Peale. “Table cover” on Peale list. A cluster of perfectly round stains, such as could have been made by the bottom of a wet tankard, suggest that this may have been used on shipboard as a tablecloth. Very similar to 97-120-707B: two fragments of a layered piece?

Length 158 cm
Width 98 cm
Credit Line Gift of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1997
Other Number L-120-707A - Old Museum Number | 10577 - ANSP Number

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