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Object Number
00-8-70/55346
Display Title
Tapa cloth
Descriptions
Object Description
Black painted tapa cloth, known as ngatu'uli. Medium-weight cloth of evenly beaten inner bark fibers of two layers. Grain direction on face side is widthwise with rear side opposite. Narrow undecorated white edges at sides, raw/natural finished, with top and bottom cut edges. Joins are overlapping with additional paste application. Paint was applied from face side (freehand painting in a matte red-brown that has penetrated to rear side with overpainting of overall glossy black that appears to have been rubbed over a wood design table/tablet. Uppermost application of a glossy or resinous dark brown black was freehand painted. A ngatu'uli of kumu kupu or ngatu'uli of kumi hoko type would have a narrow reddish border and then the unpainted tapa edges. See additional notes under conservation report.
Inventory Description
Tapa, rectangular, painted black, white edges at sides
Classification
- Tapa
Department
Ethnographic
Geography/Provenience/Site Name
Oceania
/
Tonga
/
<State>
/
Eua Island
Additional Geographic Terms
Tongatapu Group
Materials
Bark, Unidentified pigment
Dimensions
Overall: 190.5 x 280.67 cm (75 x 110 1/2 in.)
Quantity
1
Label on object
55436
Provenance
Collector
Alexander Agassiz
(1899-1900)
Collector
Dr. William McMichael Woodworth
(1899-1900)
Collector
U.S. Fish Commission Ship Albatross Expedition
(1899-1900)
Donor
Alexander Agassiz
(1900)
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| PrimaryMedia | Object Number | Title | Classification | Geography/Provenience | SHARE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37-50-70/617 | Large piece of tapa cloth |
Tapa
|
Samoa?
| |
| 48-56-70/3125 | Tapa cloth with brown and black geometric designs |
Tapa
|
Samoa
| |
| 92-4-70/48378.2 | Tapa cloth sash of King's daughter |
Tapa
|
Samoa
| |
| 92-4-70/48378.3 | Tapa cloth sash of King's daughter |
Tapa
|
Samoa
| |
| 967-32-70/4634 | Tapa |
Tapa
|
Tonga
| |
| 2000.16.1 | Tapa |
Tapa
|
Tonga?
Samoa? | |
| 990-12-70/5772 | Bark cloth cut section |
Tapa
|
Samoa
| |
| 48-56-70/3129 | Tapa cloth with brown and black flower-like designs |
Tapa
|
Samoa
| |
| 36-45-70/335 | Long piece of black and white tapa cloth |
Tapa
|
Fiji
| |
| 43-32-70/2249 | Tapa cloth |
Tapa
|
Pago Pago
| |
| 34-137-70/299 | Piece of tapa cloth |
Tapa
|
Niaufo'ou (Tin Can Island)
| |
| 34-137-70/298 | Piece of tapa cloth |
Tapa
|
Niaufo'ou (Tin Can Island)
|