Melanau Sickness Images in the Pitt River Museum, University of Oxford.
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THE SARAWAK MUSEUM JOURNAL |
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Title :
Melanau Sickness Images in the Pitt River Museum, University of Oxford. |
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Author :
Beatrice Clayre and Julia Nicholson |
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Abstract:
The Pitt Rivers Museum holds some 2,000 artefacts from Sarawak, mostly collected during the rule of Sir Charles Brooke, the Second Rajah of Sarawak from 1868 until his death in 1917. With its emphasis on weapons, headhunting and local beliefs and crafts, the collection could be seen as a reflection of the interests of the English administrators of Sarawak at that time, indeed the largest donation was assembled by Sir Charles Brooke himself. It comprises 550 artefacts which were formerly in a private museum at his English residence, Chesterton House, Cirencester, which the Rajah had purchased in the 1880s, and in which he spenta few months each winter for the hunting season. Rajah Charles’ collection came to the Pitt Rivers Museum in 1923 as a gift from his son and heir. Sir Charles Vyner Brooke, the third Rajah of Sarawak and includes musical instruments, baskets, containers of finely decorated bamboo, and weapons. Of particular note, however,are a number of fine bead-worked items including seat mats with beaded panels (worn by men over the buttocks), sleeveless beaded jackets with anthropomorphic designs, Kenyah goatskin war capes and Kayan cane-work caps with beaded decoration. Several of the capes and caps have other elaborate decoration, of meleagrina shell, hornbill tail feathers and even portions of hornbill beaks.
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| DOI: XXXX |
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How to cite:
Beatrice Clayre and Julia Nicholson. (1999). Melanau Sickness Images in the Pitt River Museum, University of Oxford. The Sarawak Museum Journal, LIV (75): 105-141 |
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References
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