Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 1984-0008-0151   CAS 1984-0008-0151; Dress
Category Textiles
Object Name Dress
Culture Melanesian: ni-Vanuatu
Global Region Oceania
Country Vanuatu (New Hebrides)
State/Prov./Dist. Malampa
County
Other Geographic Data Island: Malakula
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1926
Collection Name Rollo Beck Collection (South Pacific)
Materials Pandanus fiber; Native dye
Description Rectangular textile (identified by collector as girl's dress), woven in two bands that are fastened together down center; Both bands are woven almost entirely in 1/1 plain plaiting except for several rows woven in 3/1 along sides and several zigzag designs woven in 2/1 near each end; small band along one end is also woven in openwork pattern; Fibers along one side and along both ends are shredded an extend as short fringe; Entire textile is dyed deep purple-red except for several paired parallel lines and two bands of stacked chevrons, all of which are resist dyed and are oriented parallel to short axis of textile. (See CAS 1984-0008-0264A for a belt that may have been part of this skirt originally.)
Dimensions (cm) Width = ca. 26.0, Thickness = 0.2, Length = ca. 92.0