Skip to main content
Object Number 67-9-70/122
Display Title Tapa
Descriptions
Indigenous Term Tapa or Kapa
Object Description Cloth made of wood fibre. Oiled kapa; fragment cut from a larger whole; a light weight cloth of finely pounded inner bark fibers; fibers well macerated and enmeshed; cloth "watermarked" throughout with linear beater impressions; one side decorated by stamping with stripes; individual stripes composed of complex geometric patterns in opaque black and orange-brown colorants; colorants probably bound charcoal and red earth pigment; both long edges and one short edge of the cloth are cut; the remaining short edge retains its natural pounded finish; several pairs of small circular holes occur at intervals along the uncut edge; the cloth possess an overall yellow-brown color and its saturated translucent nature suggests that it has been oiled.
Inventory Description Tapa fragment, rectangular, curvilinear band and dot designs, red, black on brn
Classification
  • Tapa
Department Ethnographic
Culture
  • Hawaiian
Geography/Provenience/Site Name
Oceania / United States / Hawaii
Dimensions Overall: 45.7 x 92 x 0.1 cm (18 x 36 1/4 x 1/16 in.)
Quantity 1
Label on object 67-9-70/122/ Hawaii
Provenance
Donor Boston Athenaeum (1867)

Important Note about Historical Language

Collections records may contain language, reflecting past collecting practices and methods of analysis, that is no longer acceptable. The Peabody Museum is committed to addressing the problem of offensive and discriminatory language present in its database. Our museum staff are continually updating these records, adding to and improving content. We welcome your feedback and any questions or concerns you may want to share. Please email us with your comments.

PrimaryMedia Object Number Title Classification Geography/Provenience SHARE
Kapa
94-10-70/48375 Kapa
Tapa
Hawaii County
Fine tapa fragment
67-9-70/120 Fine tapa fragment
Tapa
Hawaii
Piece of white tapa (9' 6" x 13' 5")
56-41-70/3801 Piece of white tapa (9' 6" x 13' 5")
Tapa
Society Islands
Tahiti
Kapa
90-17-70/48431 Kapa
Tapa
Aitutaki
Image Not Available for Small fragments in plastic bag from object 27-5-70/D2994
27-5-70/D2994.1 Small fragments in plastic bag from object 27-5-70/D2994
Hawaii
Tapa
90-17-70/48433.3 Tapa
Tapa
Hawaii
Piece of tapa - white with brown designs
48-49-70/2922 Piece of tapa - white with brown designs
Felted
Samoa
Tapa cloth
00-8-70/55415.1 Tapa cloth
Tapa
Aitutaki
Tapa cloth
973-24-70/5365 Tapa cloth
Tapa
Samoa?
Hand-painted tapa, Hiapo
11-2-70/83961 Hand-painted tapa, Hiapo
Tapa
Niue
Decorated kapa fragment
67-9-70/118 Decorated kapa fragment
Tapa
Hawaii
Strip of tapa
92-4-70/48376 Strip of tapa
Tapa
Samoa