2008.68 Chest pendant

Gold chest ornaments obtained through trade from the “outside world” were highly appreciated as substitute headhunting trophies. When a man adorned himself with this ornament, he made it clear that he was a great hunter and a distinguished person. 

This pendant was valuable not only because it is made of precious gold but also because the shape and imagery were well suited to Tanimbarese cultural beliefs. The buffalo horn motif, which characterizes this pendant’s form, was an important victory trophy and status symbol on the islands, where it could be found mounted on family houses. The scene embossed on the pendant depicts two dogs flanking a successful huntsman who wears both the horn motif and ear pendants of the type made on Tanimbar. 

Roslyn A. Walker, Label text, 2013.

2008: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Nasher Foundation in honor of Patsy R. and Raymond D. Nasher

Notes:

The main source for this provenance is the copy of the Deed of Gift in the Collections Records object file (2008.52-73).

Apply to objects where number equals 2008.68