mat

mat

mat

top image
Images
Introduction

Woven rush mat. From Manitoulin Island. Collected by the English ethnologist Henry Christy and donated to the British Museum in the 1860s.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

The British Museum object catalogue lists this item's community of origin as "Ottawa."

Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Created with information from the British Museum accession record and observations made by the GRASAC research team.

Materials

Rush, dyed dark brown, medium brown and natural; nettle stalk.

Techniques or Format

The mat is woven in a plain weave, with a warp of nettle stalk and rush weft.

Motifs and Patterns

The geometric shapes and horizontal and vertical stripes create an optical effect of alternation between the dark brown and natural colours.

Condition: Very good.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Collected in 1856 by Henry Christy and donated to the British Museum between 1860 and 1869.

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am.583
Collection at Current Location: Christy Collection
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1860s
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Henry Christy
Collection Narratives and Histories

This mat was one of the many items collected by the English ethnologist Henry Christy. It was donated to the the British Museum by Christy in the 1860s.

GKS Reference Number: 26461
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Anishinaabeg artist, mat. Currently in the British Museum, Am.583. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 26461.

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).

Record Creation Notes/Observations

researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), Alan Corbiere (AC), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).

Approximate Place of Origin

44.736, -88.788

Do You Have Knowledge to Contribute? Share with Us.