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Tabua

human history
  • Other Name

    Whale tooth (English)

  • Description

    Tabua. A ceremonial whale's tooth with a hole drilled at its tip and base areas for suspension. An iyau (treasure) of high cultural value to Fijians. Sourced from a tovuto (sperm whale), the tabua is shaped like a horn and ovoid in cross section. The outer surface of the tabua is smoothed and highly polished and an ivory colour. Several surface scratches and nicks on the tabua's surface.

    Three holes drilled around the rim of the base, and one hole drilled at the tip of the tabua. The hollow inner cavity of the tabua is conical in shape and dark brown in colour. A suspension cord of brown plant fibre, double twisted, is knotted and tied to a drilled hole at the base and tip ends of the tabua. The cord is somewhat fragile and brittle.

  • Place
    Fiji
  • Accession Date
    1886
  • Other Id

    11752 (ethnology)

  • Department

    Pacific

Tabua, 11752, Photographed by Jennifer Carol, digital, 01… … Read more

Images and documents

Images

  • Tabua, 11752, Photographed by Jennifer Carol, digital, 01 Aug 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Tabua, 11752, Photographed by Jennifer Carol, digital, 01 Aug 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Tabua, 11752, Photographed by Jennifer Carol, digital, 01 Aug 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Tabua, 11752, Photographed by Jennifer Carol, digital, 01 Aug 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Tabua, 11752, Photographed by Jennifer Carol, digital, 01 Aug 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Tabua, 11752, Photographed by Jennifer Carol, digital, 01 Aug 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Tabua, 11752, Photographed by Jennifer Carol, digital, 01 Aug 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply

Artefact

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