Object: Fish Trap

Figure 1 Indonesian Bamboo Fish Trap from the Ethnology Collection of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

E/2005/3/12
Fish Trap
Sumatra, Indonesia
Unknown Date
Materials: Bamboo

This object is a cylindrical-shaped woven bamboo fish trap. It is about 10.5 inches high by 20 inches long by 8 inches wide while the lid is 4.5 inches in diameter. The side of the basket has a hole that measures 7.5 inches in length and 1.75 inches in width. The hole is designed to allow fish to enter the trap, but does not allow the fish to exit. The top of the fish trap has a hole where the fish are dumped out by the fisherman. There is a round lid situated over the hole to prevent the fish from escaping while in the trap.

This fish trap was purchased from street peddlers on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia between 1968-1978 at a camp near the city of Pekanbaru. Indonesia is an archipelago consisting of around 17,500 islands in between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.   Today, Indonesia represents a crossroads of culture and trade with more than 300 distinct ethnic groups and more than 700 languages still spoken.

Figure 2 Map of Indonesia

Fish traps are woven from bamboo and rattan and are set in the water about five meters (16.4 feet) deep. Fishermen often attach their traps to lines and buoys that float on the surface of the water so they can know where they left the traps. The lines (or ropes) make it easy to haul the traps to the surface of the water once they are full of fish. Sometimes, however, the fishermen simply rely on their memory to know where they set the traps, and then they swim down to retrieve them. Usually, a trap is left in the water for a few days to ensure their success at catching fish.

Figure 3 Alor fisherman setting fish traps off the coast of Indonesia

The fish are taken out of the trap through a special hole. In the case of the trap from the Ethnology Collection, the hole is at the top. This isn’t always the case. It depends on the style of the trap.

The fishing industry is vital to many of the cultural groups of Indonesia and the surrounding region and has been for centuries. A fish trap is called a “bubu” in Bahasa, one of the most common Malay and Indonesian languages. Fish traps come in many different shapes and sizes, but they all serve the same purpose: to catch fish and keep them from escaping.

Figure 4 Traditional fish trap set up under water at Sulawesi, Indonesia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take a look at this interesting video on how to make a similar type of bamboo fish trap:

 

[Stephanie Lynn Allen]

Object: Head Flattener

Figure 1 Peruvian Head-flattener (or betaneti) from the Ethnology Collection of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

E/1956/2/53
Head flattener (betaneti)
Shipibo Indians
South America: Peru
Unknown date
Materials: Wood, cotton padding, cloth, string

This object is a head flattener made by the Shipibo Indians of Peru. It consists of a long narrow cotton pad attached to a wooden board which is then attached by strings to another square cloth pad. It would have been used to elongate the shape of an infant’s head.

Figure 2 Painting “Caw Wacham: Flathead Woman with Child” by Paul Kane in 1848-1853, photo courtesy of the Montreal Museum of Art

The practice of head flattening, also known as cranial deformation, has a long and interesting history in cultures all around the world. It is thought to be the oldest form of body modification, dating back at least 9,000 years. While cranial deformation can occur naturally or accidentally after birth, many cultures choose to deliberately shape an infant’s head, generally because it is a sign of beauty or status. Head flattening, which has not been proven to cause any damage to the brain, has occurred on every continent in the world at some point in time. Pressure is applied to a baby’s skull during their first several weeks of life when the bones of the skull have not yet fused together. It is accomplished by using a cradleboard or a special binding board such as the one in the Ethnology Collection. This process gradually shifts the bones of the skull, forming an elongated shape. The bones then fuse together in that shape.

Figure 3 Example of a Peruvian skull that has experienced cranial deformation, photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution

Papua New Guinea, Africa, Central America, and Australia are only a few places where cranial deformation has occurred. North American tribes, including the Chinookan people of the Columbia River area in Oregon and Washington, used cradleboards to produce a wedge-shaped head in a child. This practice died out by the 1950’s, but it illustrates the prevalence of this practice. Even ancient Egyptian, Roman, and Greek nobles practiced head binding as a statement of beauty. In the Andean areas of Peru, cranial deformation was a common practice for both women and men between AD 1200 and 1450 (before the time of European contact with Central and South America). The head flattener from the Ethnology Collection possibly derives from this fascinating tradition.

[Stephanie Lynn Allen]

Object: Hand Game Set

Figure 1 Hand Game set from the Ethnology Collection of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

E/2009/2/1 a-tt
Hand game set
Kiowa
Carnegie, OK
Ca. 2009
Materials: Painted wood and plastic pegs

This object is a Kiowa hand game set. The set consists of a rectangular painted wooden base (27.5” long by 8.5” high by 5” wide), 37 painted wooden rods that fit into holes along the top of the base (each rod is 12” long and 3/8” in diameter), and 8 pegs made of white plastic that fit into holes along the sides of the base (each peg is 4” long by 3/8” in diameter). Eighteen of the rods are on the left side and are painted dark blue with small white dots all over. Another 18 rods are placed on the right side and are painted in a mottled red and yellow design. There is a single central rod, painted blue with white dots on one end and mottled red and yellow on the other. Half of the pegs are decorated with 3 bands of color while the other half of the pegs are plain. Two decorated and two undecorated pegs are on each side of the base. The base is painted red with a mountain landscape outlined in yellow. Above the mountains, the rest of the base is painted dark blue with small white dots, possibly representing stars.  There is a yellow, red, and blue maple leaf emblem on the top center of the base.

Figure 2 Layout for Positions in a typical hand game

The hand game, common to at least 81 different Native American tribes in North America, is a game of chance. Men, women, and children of all ages play this game. The game can vary in size size, from only a handful of people to around 50 people! Hand games go by many different names amongst the various tribes, including “stick games” or “hands and bones,” but all of them involve guessing in which hand an object, or series of objects, is hidden. This type of game is very old. In fact, Lewis and Clark mentioned this game in their records of meeting with the Nez Perce Indians of Idaho in the early 1800′s.

Generally, a bone, wooden, or plastic bead at least 2 inches long is the object being hidden. In many cases, there are multiple beads (usually two or four). There are always two teams that sit in rows across from each other. A scorekeeper and the musicians usually sit to one side. The game starts by drawing lots to see which team will get to have the bead (or beads) “in hand.” This means that they are the ones in possession of the bead and are responsible for hiding it. The players on the opposite side, who are to guess who is hiding the bead, must watch closely to keep track of where the players are trying to pass the bead from one hand to the other and from one person to another without exposing the bead to view. Each player in the row that has the bead “in hand” act as if they, specifically, are the one to have the bead in order to try to fool their opponents. The teams actively cheer on their own side while trying to distract the opposing team with songs and dances. Every time the opposing side correctly guesses where the bead is, they win a point. The side guessing continues to guess until they miss; then they switch and the other team guesses. The 30 (or more) counting sticks, sometimes referred to as arrows, are used to keep score. The first team to 10 points wins!

Take a look at this video to see a contemporary hand game from Oklahoma:

[Stephanie Lynn Allen]

Object: Brass Weight

Figure 1 Beetle-shaped weight for measuring gold from the Ethnology Collection of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

E/1957/26/19
Weight for measuring gold
Ashanti (or Asante)
Africa: Guinea Coast: Ghana
Ca. 15^th-19^th Century
Materials: Cast Brass

This African object is a weight made out of brass that was used for weighing gold dust. It is very small, only 1.5” long by 0.75” wide, and it was cast, or molded, to look like the body of a beetle.

Figure 2 Map of Ghana on the West Coast of Africa

The “Gold Coast,” located on the Gulf of Guinea in Africa, has long been known for the large quantities of gold found there. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in this area in the 1400’s, but they were soon followed by the British, Dutch and other European explorers. The British seized the area in 1867, forming the British colony known as the “Gold Coast.” Between the 15^th and 19^th century, gold dust served as the primary currency for the West African country of Ghana, particularly for the Ashanti (also known as the Asante) people. Most households had their own set of weights and scales so that they could conduct their own transactions. These interesting little weights were made in a variety of shapes and sizes including  geometric shapes, animals, plants, and even common household items such as a stool or a hammer.

Figure 3 Beetle-shaped weights from Ghana, photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum of Art

These tiny weights were made in a really interesting way. They were first formed out of beeswax. This beeswax was then covered in clay, which was allowed to dry and harden. It was then placed into a fire, where the beeswax melted out, leaving a hollow form in the clay. Then, molten brass was poured into this clay mold, and, as it cooled and hardened, it took on the shape of the original beeswax form. The clay was then broken away so that the solid brass weight emerged completely finished. This method, known as the “lost-wax” method has been used for centuries in many cultures around the world. This particular beetle weight from the Ethnology Collection, however, was created using an unusual adaptation of this method. Instead of creating a shape out of beeswax and then covering it in clay, a real live beetle was covered in clay. Once the clay dried and hardened, the dead beetle was burned out of the mold, leaving an impression of the insect in the clay. It was then filled with molten brass and allowed to harden just like the lost-wax method.

Figure 4 Brass weight in the shape of a crab claw, from the Ethnology Department of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

Because everyone had a different set of weights, both parties always had to check the value of the gold dust with their own weights so they could be sure they were getting a fair deal. These weights therefore needed to be small and portable so they could be easily carried around. Anyone who found gold dust could keep it, but large nuggets, or pieces, had to be surrendered, or handed over, to the royal court. This gold was then exported to Europe and became the basis for British currency. It was not until 1957 that the Ashanti people finally regained their independence and formed the Republic of Ghana. It was around this same time that gold dust was replaced by the coins and paper money in use today.

Take a look at this interesting video showing contemporary Asante artists working in the lost-wax casting method:

[Stephanie Lynn Allen]

Object: Mosaic Floor Panel

Figure 1 Mosaic Floor Panel from Antioch from the Classics Collection at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

Figure 2 Detail of the Mosaic Floor Panel from the Classics Collection at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

C/1949/8/1
Mosaic floor panel
Seleucid Empire
Antioch, Syria (modern Turkey)
Date: 240 – 63 BC
Materials: Stone tiles and concrete

This is a section of mosaic floor panel from the House of the Evil Eye in the ancient capital of Antioch, Syria (present-day Turkey). The mosaic section is approximately 40” high by 38” wide. It shows a series of geometric designs made from hundreds of small blue, white, and red stone chips (called tesserae) set in cement.

Figure 3 Map of the Seleucid Empire

The Seleucid Kingdom or Empire at its greatest stretched from Thrace (Greece) to the border of India. It was founded by Seleucus I Nicator, who rose in power and influence under Alexander the Great’s Macedonian army. He became the Governor of Babylon in 321 BC before grabbing the reigns of the kingdom, taking control, and embarking on his ambitious expansion efforts. Antioch was one of the most important cities, both politically and culturally, in the Seleucid Kingdom. The wealthy in Antioch projected their economic and cultural influence by building lavish homes in the Greek (Hellenistic) style. This often involved the inclusion of intricate and beautiful mosaics on the floors.

Figure 4 House of the Evil Eye at Antioch, photo courtesy of the Archaeological Archives of Princeton University

The House of the Evil Eye is named for a mosaic found on the interior (image shown below) that is currently at the Antakya Archaeology Museum in the Hatay Province of Turkey. The mosaic is apotropaic, meaning it was designed to warn off evil, as can be seen in an attack on the “Evil Eye.” This private residence, where a wealthy family would have resided, was occupied several times over the span of many years. It was, in fact, reoccupied after the fifth century AD. The mosaic from the Classics Collection came from the floor of this home.

Figure 5 Mosaic in the House of the Evil Eye that gave rise to its name

Much of the city of Antioch was excavated by a team of archaeologists from Princeton University in the late 1930’s. Their findings (including further information on similar mosaics) were published by Doro Levi in Antioch Mosaic Pavements (Princeton, 1947).

This mosaic panel is similar to another mosaic held by the Classics Collection at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.

Take a look at this great video to learn about the history of Hellenism and how it led to the creation of some truly incredible objects:

[Stephanie Lynn Allen]

Object: Moccasin Boots

Figure 1 Crow boots from the Ethnology Collection of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

E/2006/1/2
Moccasin boots
Native American: Crow
United States: Montana
Ca. Late 1800’s or early 1900’s
Leather, sinew and glass beads

Figure 2 Map of the Native American reservations and tribal lands in Montana

These Crow moccasin boots (each 12” H x 9.75” L x 3.25” W) are made of tanned bison skin and have a dark brown rawhide sole that is attached without a welt (a long, thin piece of leather that is normally included in moccasins to reinforce the seams). The top of the foot section on each boot is decorated with brightly colored beadwork in the form of an orange flower while similar orange and light blue beaded flowers appear on the upper portion of the boots. There are leather “laces” on each boot at the top of the foot and then around the upper section of the boot near the shin.

Figure 3 Flag of the Crow Nation

The word “moccasin” comes from an Algonquian word. It became the popular word to use for this type of footwear because the Algonquians were the first Native Americans encountered by Europeans, but each tribe has its own native word for their footwear. For instance, the word for                                                                     “moccasin” in Crow is “Huuptaheele.”

The Crow are a wide-spread people who originally lived on the Great Plains in what is now Montana and Wyoming. Most Crow today still live in Montana.

Native-made moccasins and boots vary dramatically from tribe to tribe in their style, decoration, materials, and methods of manufacture. These moccasin boots were likely made for a Crow woman to be worn along with a traditional buckskin dance dress outfit. This type of outfit consists of a partially beaded skirt, a top with little to no beading, high-top moccasin boots, a beaded purse, a dance shawl, and a feather dance fan. The dancers also often wear chokers, beaded hair ties, fur hair extensions, and other accessories.

Figure 4 Model of how moccasins are assembled

Moccasin boots such as these can take a long time to make depending on the moccasin pattern and how complicated the designs are. Moccasins are always made of tanned leather and then decorated in a variety of ways. Each tribe has their own unique style of decoration, and you can often determine a person’s tribal affinity based solely on these designs. Any beadwork and other additional decoration are always sewn onto the leather with sinew before the moccasin is sewn together. All moccasins are actually sewn together inside out and then carefully turned right side out in order to add the finishing touches.

Take a look at this fascinating video about how to make moccasins:

[Stephanie Lynn Allen]

Photo Quiz Answer!

Thanks to everyone who took the photo quiz last week! Now, what is this object?

Answer: A TREASURE CHEST!

Brass treasure box (or manuscript box) from Nepal. From the Ethnology Collection of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.

This is a brass treasure chest (or manuscript chest) from the Ethnology collection of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. It was collected in the early 20th Century and is inlaid with stones and decorated with gold filagree. Nepal, a country bordering both China and India, has a diverse and fascinating history defined in large part by their location in the Himalayas and their position as a cross-roads between China and India. A chest like this would have been used to hold small treasures and important manuscripts by wealthy nobles or perhaps members of the ruling family.

To see a timeline of Nepal’s complex history, take a look at this link.

[Stephanie Lynn Allen]