Catalog Number |
CAS 2011-0004-0005 | |
Category | Textiles | |
Object Name | Tapa cloth | |
Culture | Polynesian: Samoan | |
Global Region | Oceania | |
Country | Samoa | |
State/Prov./Dist. | unknown | |
County | ||
Other Geographic Data | unknown | |
Maker's Name | Unknown | |
Date of Manufacture | ca. 1984 | |
Collection Name | N/A | |
Materials | Mulberry bark; Natural dyes from bark of mangrove tree (black) and from candlenut soot (dark brown) | |
Description | Small rectangular tapa cloth made from strips of mulberry bark that have beaten into thin sheets that are then overlapped and joined together to form a larger sheet; The entire sheet has been pressed against a wooden pattern board bearing a carved geometric design, in this case that of a large 4-petal flower with a round center that is repeated twice; The design, itself, is best viewed on the reverse side of the cloth; To make the design stand out even more, select elements of the design on the front or top surface of the cloth are overpainted in dark brown and black, using natural dyes made from various plants. | |
Dimensions (cm) | Width = ca. 37.0, Length = ca. 80.0 |