Bowl with figure supports (tactile)
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- Synopsis
- Hawaiian Islands. Mid to late 18th century. Wood, pearl shell, and boars tusk. Size: 46.5 cm long and 24.5 cm high. Museum number: Oc HAW.46. This dark wood circular bowl is supported by two very muscular figures, one at the back and one at the front. Both figures are facing in the same direction. The figure at the back is complete with its legs and stump-like feet forming the back support for the bowl. The figure at the front is incomplete and has only a head, chest and arms with clenched fists, which form the front support for the bowl. The expression on the faces of the figures is one of an open-mouthed grimace which, in the Hawaiian Islands, expressed disrespect. The bowl was almost certainly used in kava drinking ceremonies. Kava - a drink made from a plant root - induces a mild trance and was drunk ritually in many parts of Polynesia. The heads of both figures are similar, rather flat and tipped back. Each figure has large round eyes made of pearl shells with black wooden pegs in the centre for the pupils, large open mouths surrounded by a ring of white teeth made from cut sections of boar tusks and a very prominent nose with large flared nostrils. There is a circular hole in the bottom of the mouth of the front figure that interrupts the ring of teeth. There is also a circular hole at either end of the bowl, at the back of the head on the front figure and near the throat of the back figure. There are two tactile images to show the bowl - a side view and a front view. The side view shows the overall shape of the figures and bowl. The figures are shown as solid texture with the bowl as a very rough texture. Braille labels have been added: head, eye, nose, mouth, bowl, arm, chest and leg. The front view shows the part figure with its eyes, nose, mouth, chest and arms. The bowl is shown as a very rough texture with the arms and chest as solid texture. The head is shown as an outline with texture. The eyes are shown as hollows in the head texture surrounded by a thin line with a solid circle in the centre for the pupils. The nose is solid texture. The mouth has a solid texture outline with a textured centre with a hollow in this texture for the position of the hole. Braille labels have been added: head, bowl, arm, and chest.
- Copyright:
- 2011
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Excellent
- Publisher:
- RNIB
- Date of Addition:
- 04/12/17
- Copyrighted By:
- RNIB
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- Art and Architecture
- Submitted By:
- Sarah Bennett
- Proofread By:
- N/A
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.