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ContainerCa68 a-b

Container narrowing at top and bottom. The base (a) is concave and the mouth rim is tightly wrapped. The container is coiled in ten vertical sections. Cowrie shells are knotted on at the shoulder. The lid (b) also has cowrie shells knotted on just above the lip.

Culture
Borana
Material
giraffe hair, grass, cowrie shell and resin ?
Made in
Kenya
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Dress Panel Textile1201/30

Densely embroidered square textile, stitched overall with meandering patterns worked in orange thread in chain stitch on a background of purple silk or cotton textile. The design field is divided into four equally sized squares, separated from one another with rows of narrow gold metallic braid. The textile is embellished with five large (4 cm) ornamental discs, made from several layers of black cotton textile, topped with a layer of red cotton textile and embellished with white cowrie shells, blue glass beads and white shell buttons; one of these discs is located at the centre of each of the four sides of the textile, and there is one in the centre. The textile is edged with blue and white glass beading on all four sides. The embroidery is backed with a layer of dark red cotton textile.

Culture
Pashtun
Material
glass, cotton fibre, dye, silk fibre, shell, metal and cowrie shell
Made in
Afghanistan
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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Ceremonial Panel1559/2

Rectangular embroidered and appliquéd textile panel, decorated with mirrors and edged with closely-spaced cowrie shells on three sides; the top edge is has a fibre loop attachment at the left corner. The design in the centre of the panel consists of two square motifs, embellished with rows of mirrors on a red and dark yellow background. A border design of embroidered and appliquéd bands and mirrors surrounds the central motifs. There are three 'tassels' made of clusters of bell-shaped pompoms of fine cotton thread and suspended from twisted fibre cords, evenly spaced on the 'bottom' edge; the tassels are trimmed with cowrie shells and metal beads.

Culture
Banjara
Material
cotton fibre, glass, cowrie shell, lead metal ?, silk fibre ?, silver alloy metal ? and dye
Made in
Gujarat, India
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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SwordK3.3 a-b

Sheath (b) and sword (a); metal blade with rope like motif, liner details and a stripe of yellow (brass?) metal on each side. The handle and sheath are covered in cowrie shells that are sewn diagonally with red-brown fibre. The shells on the handle cover a ‘b’ shaped piece of wood that attaches to the sword; the connection is covered by a stripe of skin. A rectangular area of skin is exposed at the end and opening of the sheath while the rest is covered with shells. There are also two skin tabs on the top and bottom along with a skin tip ending in numerous pieces of skin stripes with shells tied to the end.

Culture
Somali ?
Material
steel metal, fibre, cowrie shell, skin and brass metal ?
Made in
Somalia
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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Shell2670/6

Shell with cream base colour and dark brown speckles overall. The speckles have shadows of light blue and light orange.

Culture
Tongan ?
Material
tiger cowrie shell
Made in
Tonga ?
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Money BoardK2.68

The board has triangle sections of cowrie shells, a fabric handle and a large triangle fringe along the bottom. The raised centre has a brown and black fabric covered cross dividing the shells into four triangle sections. In each section are balls of red and brown fabric. The back of the board has band of fabric, two patterned, one red and one white. There is a fabric handle attached to the top of the board, one side is brown and the other a red print. Along the bottom are three large triangles, each with a strand of blue beads hanging from one point.

Culture
West African
Material
fibre, glass, cowrie shell and paper
Made in
Nigeria
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
View Item Record
Tuwatmeri Pole2683/1

Deeply carved wooden clan pole covered in various figures, animals and designs on all sides, with the creator figure Tuwatmeri at the top of both sides. The pole is round at the base; slightly flat and rectangular at the top. The eyes of the figures are inlaid with shell. Artist's inscription around pole near base on one side.

Culture
Iatmul: Simal
Material
spruce wood and cowrie shell
Made in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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MaskIg413 a-g

A large deep brown wood mask (part a). The circular brown wood pupil of the eyes are outlined with a black swirl and surrounded by a piece of white shell for the sclera of the eye. Along the prominent forehead, there is a horizontal row of eight white shells. Through the large nose, there is a tapering cylindrical white object (part b) that has four black vertical bands around either end. Dangling from the nose, there is a flat circular crescent-shaped shell that has a grey sheen. The tear-drop-shaped ears have a circular ornament on their lobes that is white all around with a sheened shell centre. The prominent rounded wood headdress has a flat white circular disc piece at the centre front with an intricately designed perforated turtle shell piece on top. On top of the headdress, there is a flat triangular brown wood projection decorated with shell inlay in a geometric pattern. A flat crescent-shaped shell (part c) is attached at either back side end of the mask with black cord. The crescent-shaped shell (part c) has a pearl-like sheen and is decorated on the front with a black outline of a bird form at either top end and a dark bird form in the middle with a black outline all around the shell. A dark brown cord (part d) is attached to the crescent-shaped shell (part c) through a flat tear-drop-shaped shell piece that has two holes, a thin brown wood human figure, and a white shell decorated with a vertical line of horizontal fish along the middle front. Six white, brown-black, and orange-brown beaded strands (part e) are attached at either back side end of the mask. A light brown basketry bag (part f) that comes to a point at the bottom has, along its rim, brown braided cord strands that attach to the bottom of the mask with a metal hook (part g).

Culture
Solomon Islands
Material
kerosene wood, palm leaf ?, egg cowrie shell, black lip shell, gold lip shell, nautilus shell, turtle shell and clam shell
Made in
Solomon Islands
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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MaskIe447

Mask based on the top of a turtle shell for the face. Face is painted white with red contour lines and a black chin. Face is outlined by a black line which also goes down along the nose, creating a heart-like form. Eyes are each made out of a cowrie shell and are outlined by a black line that tapers to a point at the outer side. Nostrils are red outlined by black. Thirty-seven other shells are surrounding the face. Red clay molded ears. Mask is surrounded by a seven layer coil of red plant bark, or root? Hanging plant fibre cord at the top centre.

Culture
New Guinea
Material
turtle shell, clay, fibre, cowrie shell and paint
Made in
Papua New Guinea ?
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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Suspension HookIe452

Carved male figure hook. Black wooden hook in the form of a human figure with a crescent-shaped base, with inlaid cowrie shell eyes. The ears curl around. Underneath the large nose, there is a curving beak-like mouth that extends downward to the belly. Carved with upraised eyebrows and a hair line. From the wide shoulders, the thin arms rest to the sides. Has genatalia. The knees are slightly bent forward and the feet are resting on the base. A brown piece of plant fibre is tied around the upper body.

Culture
New Guinea
Material
wood, cowrie shell and plant fibre
Made in
Papua New Guinea
Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
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