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Object Number 96-25-70/49498.1
Display Title Tapa cloth
Descriptions
Object Description Tapa cloth. Moderately thin, nearly square cloth made of pounded off-white inner bark. The cloth is composed of two evenly pounded sheets that are joined together by means of pasting; the paste yields a relatively stiff hand. The two sheets have perpendicular grain directions which are then cut to provide straight and even edges. Pigments have been applied on the surface of the cloth. The first pigment is in reddish brown and is composed of repetitive curve, zig-zag and straight lines applied by rubbing from a relief design tablet. The design is further emphasized with handpainted thick brownish-black lines creating squares and rectangles with corners connected by diagonal lines. There are no apparent beater pattern. Identifying numbers: Peabody Museum catalogue number in pink has been applied to the reverse of one corner edge.
Inventory Description Tapa cloth, rectangular, painted black geometric design
Classification
  • Tapa
Department Ethnographic
Geography/Provenience/Site Name
Oceania / Samoa
Dimensions Overall: 179 x 165 cm (70 1/2 x 64 15/16 in.)
Quantity 1
Provenance
Collector Alexander Agassiz

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