box, calling card

box, calling card

box, calling card

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Introduction

A rectangular box made from birchbark covered in black wool broadcloth with bundled moose/animal hair edging. It is embroidered with moosehair. On side A there is a motif of three large strawberries with curliques framing them and Side B has floral design motifs.

Nation of Maker: Huron-Wendat
Nation of Origin

The accession book entry says: Birch bark box, covered with black cloth, decorated with moose-hair embroidery. N. American Indian, Eastern Canada, probably Huron Tribe. Quebec, Lorette.

Place of Origin: Wendake
Date Made or Date Range: 1850/1873
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation and observations made by the GRASAC research team.

Materials

birchbark; wool broadcloth, black; moosehair; thread, black

Techniques or Format

This item is made from birchbark covered in black wool broadcloth that has a nap. It is elaborated with embroidered motifs with sewn construction. The edging of bundled moosehair has interwoven checkered motifs on the binding at intervals.

Motifs and Patterns

On side A there is a motif of three large strawberries with curliques framing them. Side B has floral design motifs.

Additional Context

In the Huron-Wendat traditional spiritual beliefs strawberries were a potent symbol of the afterlife, of renewal, and the liminal space between life and death.

Dimensions: 26 × 0 × 0 cm
Condition: This item is moth eaten and is missing some moosehair.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

The opinion of the researchers present dated this to c.1850. It was collected by Sir Arthur Evans in 1873.

Current Location: Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, United Kingdom
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1941.8.219.1-2
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1941-08
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Dr. Joan Evans, from the property of the late Sir Arthur Evans, Youlbury, Boars Hill, Oxford.
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1873
Collection Narratives and Histories

Sir Arthur Evans collected the item in Finland in 1873-- written on the object is: Canada, Quebec Huron Indians [in pencil].

Publication History

In the PRM object catalogue notes there is a reference to : 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 15/2/2006, which may be a publication.

GKS Reference Number: 27154
Record Creation Context

This record was created as part of a Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures (GRASAC) research trip to the Pitt Rivers Museum and British Museum, December 8-22 2007, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Present: HB, RP, JM, CW, LP, AS, SL.

Approximate Place of Origin

46.869279102, -71.347896113

Source of Information about Places

This genre of work is known to come from this area.

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