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Feather gorget (taumi)

Not on view

Crescent-shaped breastplates known as taumi were made from materials that embodied the status (mana) and prestige of the warrior-priests and chiefs who wore them. This example’s intricate construction of concentric bands of iridescent feathers, perfectly graded shark teeth, and a thick fringe of white dog hair is testament to the authority of the elite class that commissioned it. The breastplates were worn in pairs so that the wearer’s head would appear to rise out of the jaws of a shark—a creature whose fearsome qualities were emulated by chiefs.

Feather gorget (taumi), Feathers (various, including Pacific black duck and lorikeet [vini kura]), dog hair, shark teeth, cane, fiber (various)

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Feather gorget (taumi), Feathers (various, including Pacific black duck and lorikeet [vini kura]), dog hair, shark teeth, cane, fiber (various)
Feather gorget (taumi), Feathers (various, including Pacific black duck and lorikeet [vini kura]), dog hair, shark teeth, cane, fiber (various)
Feather gorget (taumi), Feathers (various, including Pacific black duck and lorikeet [vini kura]), dog hair, shark teeth, cane, fiber (various)

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