Catalog Number
|
Catalog Number |
CAS 0135-0002 | |
| Category | Weaponry | |
| Object Name | Shark tooth sword | |
| Culture | Micronesian: I-Kiribati | |
| Global Region | Oceania | |
| Country | Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) | |
| State/Prov./Dist. | ||
| County | ||
| Other Geographic Data | unknown | |
| Maker's Name | Unknown | |
| Date of Manufacture | mid to late 1800s | |
| Collection Name | N/A | |
| Materials | Wood; Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) teeth; Plant fiber cordage; Human hair cordage | |
| Description | Sword with a cylindrical wooden shaft that tapers very gradually to a sharp distal point; Three areas along the length of the shaft, measuring approx. 1.5 cm wide each, are wrapped in 2-ply black human hair cordage, seemingly for decorative purposes only; Two rows of 36 small shark teeth each are aligned opposite each other along entire length of shaft from just above hand grip to approx. 5 cm from the distal tip; Each tooth is drilled through its center, and the teeth are flanked on either side by a peeled twig, all of which are lashed together with plant fiber cordage that is wound back and forth between the two rows of teeth; Two additional rows of 18 shark teeth each are similar mounted on the lower half of the sword’s shaft between the two original rows; All teeth are pointed upwards toward the distal tip, except the two uppermost ones which point downward; A single hole has been drilled through hand grip of shaft near the proximal end. | |
| Dimensions (cm) | Width = 4.0, Thickness = 4.0, Length = 64.5 | |