Breast ornament

Description

Breast ornament, nearly circular, consisting of pearl shell inlaid in sperm whale ivory with stars and bordered with segments of the same material, worn by high-ranking men: Pacific Peoples, Fiji

Museum reference

A.1924.771

Collection

Oceania

Object name

Breast ornament

Production information

Fiji, Polynesia

Style / Culture

Fijian
Pacific Peoples
Melanesian

Materials

Pearl-shell, Sperm whale tooth, Lead

Physical description

Pearl shell inlaid with stars in sperm whale ivory and bordered with segments of the same material; joined by lead rivets

Associations

Collector: Gordon Cumming, Constance Frederica, Miss, 1837 - 1924

Exhibitions

• Facing the Sea (29 Jul 2011)
  National Museum of Scotland

References

Idiens, Dale., 'Pacific Art in the Royal Scottish Museum', Edinburgh: Royal Scottish Museum Studies, 1982 p. 34 image and catalogue entry No. 32