Welcome to the Penn Museum blog. First launched in January 2009, the Museum blog now has over 800 posts covering a range of topics in the categories of Museum, Collection, Exhibitions, Research, and By Location. Here you’ll hear directly from our staff and Penn students about their work, research, experiences, and discoveries. To explore the Museum's other digital content, visit The Digital Penn Museum.
Maori Pendant from New Zealand [Object of the Day #32]
By: Alyssa Kaminski
This greenstone pendant is characteristic of the Maori, a polynesian tribe who settled New Zealand. The carved figure is human with an oversized head tilted to one side, arms resting on knees, and legs bent inward with his feet touching. Greenstone pendants derive their value from the hours spent carving into this hard stone. They […]
Coconut Grater Stool [Object of the Day #27]
By: Amy Ellsworth
This coconut grater stool was made in 1964 by local artisan Soses Tara on Nukuoro atoll in the Caroline Islands. A serrated piece of shell is attached to the front of the stool with plant fibers, and a split coconut is rubbed along the rough edge to shred the meat. The gracefully shaped stool resembles a […]