Santa Cruz Islander. Ornament (Tema), 19th or early 20th century. Tridacna shell, turtle shell, fiber, 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 3/16 in. (13.3 x 13.3 x 0.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Ella C. Woodward Memorial Fund, 40.920. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 40.920_bw.jpg)
Santa Cruz Islander. Ornament (Tema), 19th or early 20th century. Tridacna shell, turtle shell, fiber, 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 3/16 in. (13.3 x 13.3 x 0.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Ella C. Woodward Memorial Fund, 40.920. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.40.920.jpg)
Ornament (Tema)
Arts of the Pacific Islands
CULTURE
Santa Cruz Islander
MEDIUM
Tridacna shell, turtle shell, fiber
DATES
19th or early 20th century
DIMENSIONS
5 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 3/16 in. (13.3 x 13.3 x 0.5 cm) (show scale)
COLLECTIONS
Arts of the Pacific Islands
ACCESSION NUMBER
40.920
CREDIT LINE
Ella C. Woodward Memorial Fund
PROVENANCE
Prior to 1940, provenance not yet documented; by 1940, acquired by Julius Carlebach of New York, NY; 1940, purchased from Julius Carlebach by the Brooklyn Museum.
Provenance FAQ
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
A symmetrical design made from tortoise shell is lashed to a circular disk fashioned from Tridacna clamshell. The centered axis of the design terminates in two slender points. Six pairs of triangles are located along the central axis. The sides of the fifth and sixth triangles are extended to create the impression interlocking arcs.
From catalogue card:
Shell gorget (kapkap) that is a breast ornament, which is a circular white disk tridacna with a cut out tortoise shell carving mounted on it. There is a hole almost in the center of the tridacna plate and one in the tortise shell. This tridacna mount and tortise shell are fastened together with six well twisted brown strings running through the holes up part of the central portion tortoise shell to one edge of the mount and fastened to there. The tortoise shell carving is a conventionalized design consisting of a long central portion with triangles on each side which are extended and have spreading points. Below the hole the tortoise shell carving consists of an inverted triangle, wide and obtuse with points extending from the sides as well as from the base angles.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Santa Cruz Islander. Ornament (Tema), 19th or early 20th century. Tridacna shell, turtle shell, fiber, 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 3/16 in. (13.3 x 13.3 x 0.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Ella C. Woodward Memorial Fund, 40.920. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 40.920_bw.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 40.920_bw.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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