stroud, red; cotton, blue and white striped; silk ribbon, now faded and largely disintegrated; seed beads, size 11 black, white, pink, yellow and metallic; thread

This object is two straps sewn together at their bottoms, which end in two-pointed flaps. Each one is made of coarse red stroud, lined with a blue and white striped ticking cotton and edged with a silk ribbon, now faded and largely disintegrated. Beadwork done in size 11 black, white, pink, and yellow seed beads as well as metallic seed beads. At the top of each strap, a wooden pole has been passed through a loop of beige woolen textile.

Floral motifs decorate the straps.

The GRASAC research team had questions about the use of this item, and suggested it may have been an ornament of some sort, possibly a drum ornament.

Based upon the beadwork, this item was likely made between 1830-1850 or 1860. The stroud may be older, but could have been recycled.

This item was found unentered at the Osney stores of the Pitt Rivers Museum on September 25th 2002. Labels attached to the object reference Dr. Charles A. Pope, suggesting he donated the item to the Pitt Rivers Museum. It is unclear when this item came to the Pitt Rivers Museum or if Dr. Pope was indeed the donor. The Pitt Rivers Museum Object Catalogue suggests it may have been acquired by the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1886 as part of a larger collection donated by Dr. Pope.

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).

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