Object: Soapstone Seal

AS-04-01-053
Chinese Soapstone Seal
China
Unknown Date
Materials: Soapstone (Steatite), silk-based ink residue

A Chinese seal is a stamp containing Chinese characters used in East Asia on official documents, contracts, art and other texts where authorship is considered important. Seals were used instead of signatures because they were hard to forge and only the owner has access to their own seal. This type of seal is generally composed of steatite, commonly known as soapstone, or jade. The stamp may be carved into a raised relief known as Zhuwen creating imprints of red characters. Another option is to carve characters into a bas relief called Baiwen that stamps the background in red, creating white characters. Sometimes these two techniques are combined in a Zhubaiwen Xiangjianyin stamp.

The earliest documented use of seals in China dates to the Zhan-guo period (403-221 B.C.E.); though some speculate seals may have been used as early as 1050 B.C.E. The name, design, regulation, characters and purpose of seals changed through various dynasties.

Steatite and jade are the most common materials used for the production of seals. Steatite was preferred in some instances over jade because of its properties. Steatite is a form of mineral talc that is very soft and easy to carve. Over time, or through firing, steatite hardens, thus it becomes more durable with time and use. Cinnabar, castor oil and moxa punk are mixed with either a silk or plant base to produce ink. The result is a bright red tint in a thick paste for silk or a loose powder for plant bases.

This seal is decorated with the two Fu Dog motif. Other popular motifs include floral scenes, fish, frogs, dragons, lions, and birds, though the Fu Dog is the most popular. The Fu Dogs, or Rui Shi in Chinese (auspicious lions), are the beloved pets of Buddha and powerful mystic protectors. They are frequently presented in pairs, a male and female, and are symbolic of many of life’s dichotomies. They represent yin and yang, life and death, domesticity and bureaucracy, and fung shui and dharma. [Katie Pierce]

Object: Pitch-covered Basket

NAM-07-04-024
Pitch-covered Basket
Paiute
ca 1900
Materials: Willow and piñon pitch

This is a twined and pitched water bottle also known as a kadu o’sa. The Paiute and other groups in the Great Basin and Southwest used basket water bottles. These water bottles have many different shapes; smaller vessels with a cone-shaped bottom were used as canteens while flat-bottomed baskets were used primarily for storage. The vessels used for canteens were cone-shaped on the bottom, round in the middle, and have a small mouth; this shape allowed the basket to lie on the ground without spilling its contents and allowed it to be carried in a larger basket. Most of these baskets had leather or horse hair handles and/or straps to carry these baskets while traveling. The baskets kept water cool for hours and were preferred to metal canteens, they continued to be used into the 1930s.

Paiute water vessels are triple twined baskets, which produces a very strong basket that is more water tight than single or double twining. The Paiute basket makers used a variety of plant materials to make their baskets. The most common basket making materials were: willow, yucca, and devil’s claw. After the basket was woven, the canteens were covered with soil and red clay on both the inside and outside. Red ochre, a pigment made from red clay not only prevented the baskets from leaking, but also gave the baskets a warm reddish-brown hue. Piñon pitch, a resin from pine trees, was melted and poured into the basket and spread over the outside. Hot rocks or pebbles were then placed inside the basket, which was turned to spread the pitch evenly. The resin would fill the gaps in the twining, making it water tight.

For more information on basket weaving and basket weavers see the Language of Native American Baskets from the Weaver’s View.

For information about the Paiute and their basket making tradition read: Weaving a Legacy: Indian Baskets and the People of Owens Valley, California.

SNMONH invites you to contribute your thoughts and information about burden baskets, basket weaving techniques, and cultures of the Great Basin. [Sara Hamby]

Object: Vase

AS-04-22-041
Vase
Ming Dynasty, China
1368-1644
Materials: clay, glaze

This vase is an example of the famous blue on white porcelain that was popular during the Ming dynasty of China (1368-1644). It is a pear shaped vase with blue floral designs on a white background of the body and upper rim. The mouth is small compared to the body and the lip is glazed brown for protection. A crack runs along one side but does not reach the top and there is an unidentified maker’s mark on the bottom.

Porcelain is made from a special type of clay called kaolin or china clay since that is where it was first discovered. The same techniques are used to shape the clay as with other pottery but it is fired (the process of applying heat to pottery to make it hard) at much higher temperatures, up to 1200°C.

Porcelain was a long guarded secret in China for many centuries making it a very valuable trade item. What distinguishes porcelain from other pottery is its translucent glass-like quality. There is no need for glaze as it is already water tight though it can be glazed for decorative purposes as is seen here. Early types included the green colored porcelain known as celadon. Later, it was found that the mineral cobalt, when applied and fired, would produce a brilliant blue color. This technique was perfected and produced in large numbers during the Ming dynasty. For more information, read Li He’s Chinese Ceramics: the New Standard Guide or Prudence M. Rice’s Pottery Analysis: a sourcebook, or visit the Guest and Gray website. [Victoria Counts]

Object: Chinese Puzzle Balls

AS-4-1-38 a-b
Chinese Puzzle balls
China
1300-1911 AD
Material: Ivory

This set of carved ivory puzzle ball statuettes came into the collection at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, previously known as the Stovall Museum, on February 10, 1956. These objects, along with several others, were accessioned into the collections as a transfer from the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.

In the year 1936, Ponca City Oilman Lew Wentz and British photographer R. Gordon Matzene donated over 750 objects to the University of Oklahoma to spark the construction of the university’s art museum. Wentz had funded a number of Matzene’s trips to East Asia where he collected these treasures over time. It was not until the year 1956 that the Fred Jones Museum of Art loaned these ivory ball figures to the Stovall museum.

It is noted that these items came from China in the collection records, although the particular region is not specified. This type of item was popular throughout China, so it is also hard to determine an exact date of the carvings. The dates for ivory ball carvings like these are usually no earlier than the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). However, there are some occurrences of similar products appearing in Canton China as early as the 14th century (Laufer, 1925).

The process for making a puzzle ball is very difficult. The entire ball is made from one solid piece of material. Ivory was often used, but other materials such as jade, wood, or soapstone were also used. In ancient times the balls were carved completely by hand. In more recent times, a lathe was used to shape the balls and then cone-shaped holes were drilled towards the center at varying depths. Once the holes were made, the craftsman then would take an “L” shaped carving tool to make the separate layers forming the balls within balls. The craftsman started with the smallest center ball and then carved out spherical layers slightly larger than the previous one. The designs were added to each layer after they were completely cut free from the surrounding area. The craftsman used micro tools to pierce the surface of each ball and usually adorn the outside layer with exceptionally exquisite detail. Many of the designs carved into the puzzle balls were symbolic in meaning.

The SNOMNH ethnology department is eager to learn more information about these ivory puzzle balls and hopefully get a better estimate of the time period during which they could have been produced. We welcome any comments concerns or suggested references. [Laura Cronin]

Object: Sitar

AS-12-04-071
Stringed instrument: sitar
Hindu India
Date unknown
Materials: wood, ivory, metal strings, gourd, sting.

The sitar is a classical musical instrument from North India. The sitar resembles a plucked, long necked lute. The player would pluck the six major stings with a metal pick like device that is fashioned out of wire. The thirteen sympathetic strings of the sitar are not plucked, but instead provide a droning sound as the sitar is played.

The construction of this sitar is consistent with the standard classical method of construction. The gourd resonating chamber is connected to the wooden neck by a decorative wooden device that is secured with a combination of glue and nails. The strings are connected to the resonation gourd by a string block that allows the vibration of the strings to be transmitted into the gourd where they are amplified. The tuning devices for the strings are called the peg box.

Click here to hear what a sitar sounds like.

The Ethnology department of SNOMNH invites and encourages your comments on this particular North Indian Sitar. [Zach Duvall]

Object: Amulet

C/1987/7/16
Amulet
Egypt
Date unknown
Materials: faience

The museum’s catalog identifies this amulet as depicting the Egyptian god Anubis. In Egyptian mythology Anubis plays a crucial role as guide and protector of the deceased.

However, after examining the piece I feel that this amulet does not depict Anubis. Anubis, when shown in his half human form, has the head of a jackal while this amulet shows the head of a lion. Additionally, this figure is shown wearing a special type of crown called the atef crown. This type of crown is typically associated with the god Osiris and symbolized the priesthood and divine power. The atef crown resembles the white crown of Upper Egypt which has been decorated with two vertical rows of ostrich feathers. It seems more likely that this amulet depicts the god Maahes, rather than Anubis.

Maahes (also known as Mahes, Mihos, Miysis, or Mysis) was a male deity most commonly associated with fighting, war, and violence. Some myths describe him as a protector or guardian of Ra, the god of the sun disk. In this role he would protect Ra from Apep, the god of darkness while he traveled through the underworld during the night. In times of war, Maahes was also thought to be the protector of the pharaoh. Other myths describe him as an executioner, a protector of the innocent, a guardian of sacred places, or as one who could find “truth.” He also shared many characteristics with other lion headed deities such as Nefertem and Shesmu. It is likely that an amulet of Maahes was thought to protect the wearer from evil and ensure their safe passage in the underworld.

An example of a faience amulet depicting the god Anubis can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. [Kate Barr]

Object: Amulet

C/1987/7/17
Amulet
Egypt
Date unknown
Materials: faience

Amulets were used by ancient Egyptians as good luck charms and offered protection from evil forces. Amulets could be worn as jewelry or carried by the living. Amulets were also often inserted in the wrappings of mummies to protect the deceased. During the 19th century this practice of inserting amulets within the wrappings helped to encourage the seemingly bizarre practice of “mummy unwrapping parties.” Mummies were collected by travelers and shipped back to Europe and the Americas where the new “owner” would host an event featuring the unwrapping and destruction of the mummy. During the course of the event many of these amulets could be discovered and kept as souvenirs. Many mummies were destroyed in this way.

This amulet is made of green Egyptian faience. While faience can be produced in different colors, many pieces of Egyptian faience are blue, a very powerful color to ancient Egyptians. The color blue symbolized the Nile, which was a source life and rebirth. Blue faience also provided a more reasonably priced alternative to the semi-precious stone, lapis lazuli.

The museum’s catalog identifies this amulet as depicting a lotus blossom, however, upon examination of the piece I believe this to be incorrect. Instead, I believe this is a “heart amulet.” Ancient Egyptians believed that the heart, rather than the brain, was the source of human intelligence, emotion, and the conscience. When mummifying a body all of the other internal organs were removed from the body and stored in special jars in the tomb. Even the brain, which today is seen as the source of human thought, was removed from the body through the nose. However, the heart was kept in the body so that the deceased would have it at judgment in the afterlife. Heart amulets were placed within the mummy’s wrappings near the chest of the deceased so that if his/her real heart was damaged or destroyed the amulet could take its place.

Other examples of heart amulets can be found in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo, and the Governorate of Alexandria. [Kate Barr]

Object: Inscribed Papyrus Fragment

C/44-5/5/1
Fragment of inscribed papyrus
Egypt
Ca. 100 BCE
Material: papyrus and ink

Papyrus is an early form of paper, highly valued in the ancient world and most commonly produced in Egypt’s Nile Delta. The paper is made from the inner material of the stem of the papyrus plant (Cyperus papyrus). This inner material, called pith, is removed from the stem and layered on top of itself with the grain of each layer running at right angles to the layer underneath. Once the layers of papyrus reach the desired thickness they are very tightly compressed and allowed to dry.

The inscription on this piece was recently examined by Dr. Janet H. Johnson, a professor of Egyptology at the Oriental Institute, who concluded that it is written in Demotic. Demotic is a type of ancient Egyptian writing that was derived from northern forms of Hieratic, which is often considered the “cursive” or “short-hand” form of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. This type of writing was used during the later part of the Dynastic period in ancient Egypt and continued to be used into the Roman Period. The most famous use of Demotic can be found on the Rosetta Stone.

Dr. Janet H. Johnson was able to provide some information as to the content of this inscription. She reports that: “It seems to be a letter dated year 11, first month of summer (no king’s name was included). The name of the sender is lost in the break at the upper right; the name of the recipient seems to be a foreign name. It mentions the town/location of Meidum, in the Fayum…It also seems to mention ‘matters of Pharaoh,’ which probably would be a reference to state business.”

For more information on ancient paper making see:
Johnson, Malcom. The Nature and Making of Papyrus. Barkston Ash: Elemete Press, 1973. [Kate Barr]

Object: Ushabti

C/53-4/58/1
Faience ushabti
Egypt
XXVI Dynasty (ca. 664-525 BCE)
Materials: faience

Ushabtis, also known as shabtis or shwabtis, are small figurines usually modeled out of Egyptian faience. These figurines are associated with burials and always show a human figure wrapped as a mummy with the traditional false beard and headdress of the pharaoh and the god Osirus. The arms of the figure are crossed and when the burial in question was royal, they would carry the crook and flail signifying kingship or divinity. Ushabtis were intended to function like servants for the deceased in the afterlife. Ancient Egyptians believed that after death the soul of the individual continued to live a similar existence to that on the physical earth. In order to assure that one could have a pleasant and relaxed afterlife, free from labor and discomfort, it was necessary to bring along servants in the form of ushabtis. The ushabtis were all inscribed with a verse from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead which asks the ushabti to take the place of the deceased whenever he is called upon to perform any task in the afterlife.

The ushabti in the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History is made of green Egyptian faience. Faience is a type of fired ceramic with a tin glaze, that was common in the Middle East and Europe. Unlike traditional faience, Egyptian faience is made by heating a mixture of sand and minerals. This mixture, when heated would essentially melt together into a solid stone-like material with a glassy finish. By combining different types and quantities of minerals different colors could be created.

A preliminary examination of the inscription on this ushabti indicates that this figurine belonged to a person named Ptah-ir-dy-es, and the museum’s records indicate that the figure dates from the XXVI Dynasty. The XXVI Dynasty, often called the Saite Dynasty, once again united both Upper and Lower Egypt under one king following the Third Intermediate Period. It begins just after the Assyrian invasion of Egypt and is brought to an end by the Persian invasion. This dynasty represents the end of native rule in ancient Egypt, as the power of kingship passed to their southern Kushite neighbors.

For more information on Egyptian funerary customs and grave materials see:

El-Shahawy, Abeer. The Funerary Art of Ancient Egypt: A Bridge to the Realm of the Hereafter. Cairo: Farid Atiya Press, 2005.

Smith, William S., and William K. Simpson. The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998.

For more information on the XXVI Dynasty see:

Welsby, D.A. The Kingdom of Kush: The Napatan and Meroitic Empires. London: British Museum Press, 1996. [Kate Barr]