Tattoo Pattern
| Object Number: | P217 |
|---|---|
| Current Location: | Collections Storage |
| Culture: | Kayan |
| Provenience: | Borneo Sarawak |
| Section: | Oceanian |
| Materials: | Wood |
| Length: | 12.7 cm |
| Width: | 5.7 cm |
| Thickness: | 1 cm |
| Credit Line: | Gift of Dr. William H. Furness 3rd., 1898 |
Description
Flat piece of wood carved to leave a pattern in high relief. The block is inked and pressed onto the skin as a guide for the tattooing. May be a version of what Furness identifies as the "Iban 'kala,' the scorpion - for the outside of a man's thigh." Identified by Hose and Shelford as "Sea-Dayak [Iban] modification of the dog design. But known as 'scorpion' (kala)." Black ink on back.
Bibliography:
| [Book] Furness, William H. 1902. The Home-Life of Borneo Head-Hunters: Its Festivals and Folk-lore.. Philadelphia. J. B. Lippincott & Co. Type Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Illustration following p. 148, Nos. 1 and 5 | View Objects related to this Type Citation |
| [Article] Shelford, R., and Hose, Charles. 1906. "Materials for a Study of Tatu in Borneo". The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. XXXVI. pg. 1-48 Type Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Plate VII, Fig. 6 | View Objects related to this Type Citation |
| [Book] McDougall, William, and Hose, Charles. 1912. The Pagan Tribes of Borneo.. London. Macmillan and Company. Type Citation : Page/Fig./Plate: Plate 137, Fig. 6 | View Objects related to this Type Citation |
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