ornament, neck

human history

neck ornament of whale ivory. in form of a hook; suspended on many strands of finely braided human hair. of very fine manufacture. repairs to strands of native origin.

Last Update: 28 Oct 2026

Other Name

ornament

Place

Hawaii/United States of America

Accession Date

Unknown

Other Id

14537 (ethnology)

E35 (Edge-Partington)

Department

Pacific

Public Access Text

Sculpted from whale ivory, this dynamic hook form is suspended from bundles of very finely plaited human hair. Taken from the head, considered by Polynesians the most sacred part of the body, human hair is an embodiment of personal mana, and therefore the wearing of human hair at once affirms and increases one’s mana. Through both its material and its pure form, within such a stratified society as Hawai’i this type of pendant encapsulated the status, mana and regenerative power of its chiefly wearer.

ornament, neck

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ornament, neck

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ornament, neck

ornament, neck

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