Snake Figure

Item number 2189/1 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

Item Records

This page shows all the information we have about this item. Both the institution that physically holds this item, and RRN members have contributed the knowledge on this page. You’re looking at the item record provided by the holding institution. If you scroll further down the page, you’ll see the information from RRN members, and can share your own knowledge too.

The RRN processes the information it receives from each institution to make it more readable and easier to search. If you’re doing in-depth research on this item, be sure to take a look at the Data Source tab to see the information exactly as it was provided by the institution.

These records are easy to share because each has a unique web address. You can copy and paste the location from your browser’s address bar into an email, word document, or chat message to share this item with others.

Data
Data Source

This information was automatically generated from data provided by MOA: University of British Columbia. It has been standardized to aid in finding and grouping information within the RRN. Accuracy and meaning should be verified from the Data Source tab.

Description

Stuffed, beaded snake, composed of a head (a) and body (b). The snake holds a small beaded lizard in its mouth. The snake's back is blue with a green and yellow zigzag design, and its belly is light grey with inscriptions beaded in black with geometric design elements that serve to divide the words. One design element appears to be a flag(?) of vertical black, yellow and red bands. The inscription reads 'TURKISH - PRISONERS - OF - DARDANELLS - AIBABA - CYPRU - 1917' [sic].

History Of Use

The inscription indicates the maker as a Turkish prisoner of war (POW), captured at Alçıtepe (Achi Baba), Turkey. During the Gallipoli Campaign in WWI, the Allies sent a substantial invasion force to attempt to open up the Dardanelles. This was possibly made at the Karaolos POW camp (located northwest of Famagusta's old town), which was established on Cyprus in September 1916, when 2,000 Ottoman captured soldiers were transported to the island.