| Catalog Number |
CAS 0458-0444 |
 |
| Category |
Jewelry & Metalwork |
| Object Name |
Necklace |
| Culture |
Polynesian: Hawaiian |
| Global Region |
Oceania |
| Country |
USA |
| State/Prov./Dist. |
Hawaii |
| County |
Unknown |
| Other Geographic
Data |
unknown |
| Maker's Name |
Unknown |
| Date of Manufacture |
early 1800s |
| Collection Name |
Ostheimer Collection (Hawaiian) |
| Materials |
Human hair; Ivory: sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) tooth; Olona (Touchardia latifolia) fiber cordage; Cotton string |
| Description |
Necklace composed of large number (greater than 60 strands) of very finely braided human hair and a large central ivory lei niho palaoa pendant; Only small number of hair strands pass through pendant, with remainder doubled back on either left or right side and tied into bundle at top with native cordage (later augmented with cotton string); Necklaces of this type were worn only by individuals of royal lineage (both men and women) on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of power and influence, and also reportedly by [male] chiefs in battle; Such leis were frequently traded in the later 19th century; The pendant is carved in the shape of a tongue symbolizing the wearer’s oratory and leadership skills; According to Anthony JP Meyer (1995) necklaces of this type are made from a single length of 8-ply, square braided hair, with each section of the braid comprising 50 to 100 strands of hair each. |
| Dimensions (cm) |
Width = ca. 14.0, Depth = ca. 6.2, Length = ca. 26.5 |