GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Iatmul suspension hooks were suspended from the rafters of traditional houses with a cord, and baskets containing food, clothing, and other items were hung from the hooks out of reach of vermin. Ritually, household hooks were used in divination ceremonies to consult spirits about minor concerns. Most Iatmul suspension hooks are representations of ancestral spirits and totemic animals associated with the owner’s clan. They were named and presented with offerings of food. This suspension hook, depicting the upper portion of a torso, with the head surmounted by a hairstyle in the form of a cap and the prongs of the hook emerging from the tops of the shoulders, likely represents a primordial ancestor.
Drawn from
- "Crochet," Musée de Quai Branly, http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/explore-collections/base/Work/action/show/notice/318751-crochet/page/9/. Accessed July 18, 2016.
- "Suspension Hook (Samban or Tshambwan)," The Met, http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/311260. Accessed July 18, 2016.
NOTES
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PROVENANCE
2006: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of John Lunsford, Dallas, Texas
The main source for this provenance is the copy of the Deed of Gift in the Collections Records object file (2006.60).
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WEB RESOURCES
- Encyclopedia Britannica~Read about the climate, people, culture, and history of Papua New Guinea.
- Encyclopedia Britannica~Learn more about the region of Oceania.
- National Museums Scotland~Explore resources about arts of the Oceania region of the Pacific.
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Apply to objects where number equals 2006.60
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General Description
Iatmul suspension hooks were suspended from the rafters of traditional houses with a cord, and baskets containing food, clothing, and other items were hung from the hooks out of reach of vermin. Ritually, household hooks were used in divination ceremonies to consult spirits about minor concerns. Most Iatmul suspension hooks are representations of ancestral spirits and totemic animals associated with the owner’s clan. They were named and presented with offerings of food. This suspension hook, depicting the upper portion of a torso, with the head surmounted by a hairstyle in the form of a cap and the prongs of the hook emerging from the tops of the shoulders, likely represents a primordial ancestor.
Drawn from
- "Crochet," Musée de Quai Branly, http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/explore-collections/base/Work/action/show/notice/318751-crochet/page/9/. Accessed July 18, 2016.
- "Suspension Hook (Samban or Tshambwan)," The Met, http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/311260. Accessed July 18, 2016.
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
- Encyclopedia Britannica~Read about the climate, people, culture, and history of Papua New Guinea.
- Encyclopedia Britannica~Learn more about the region of Oceania.
- National Museums Scotland~Explore resources about arts of the Oceania region of the Pacific.
Notes
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
2006: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of John Lunsford, Dallas, Texas
The main source for this provenance is the copy of the Deed of Gift in the Collections Records object file (2006.60).
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
2006.60
source file
object_notes_2_b-0062.xml.nores